We All Fall Down
by RattusLabRat
Summary: Follow up to Let Me Kiss You. Was Sara really happy? Obviously not...
1. Chapter 1

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own CSI, it's characters...or anything else related._

**A/N:**_ Oh oh! Hmm, this is a follow up…and I really don't know if this was a wise decision in writing one, but...a couple of you guys requested I do a sequel thingy so…_

_It's best if you first read Let Me Kiss You.._

* * *

"You son of a bitch!" 

The glass that had vacated Sara Banks- formerly Sara Sidle- hand smashed against the tiled kitchen wall, the shards flying in every direction. Hitting the floor they crumbled underneath her husbands feet. Looking from the wall to Sara then to the ground he grimaced and angrily pointed at her.

"You! What the hell do you think you're doing Sara?"

Anger had blinded her vision, her eyes had clouded over, a black shadow now took over what had formerly been the sight of her husband and her kitchen. She reached behind her and quickly moved her hand trying to find something she could throw at the lousy bastard. Gripping the vase she had gotten from his parents as a wedding gift she threw it in the general direction of where his gruff voice could be heard.

She didn't see the vase shattering into a thousand pieces; she heard the sickly noise as the pieces began to flutter to the ground. More crunching ensued.

"Calm down! That was a wedding present from my parents. I said sorry babe."

A strangled cry emitted from the back of her throat, her husband crouching beside the kitchen door looked up to his wife. Her face was contorted in anger and fury, the veins standing out on her pale neck.

"Sorry? You're sorry? For what exactly?" She reached behind her and gripped another glass, the thin stem caught between her thumb and index finger.

"Sorry for turning this _marriage_ into a shambles? Sorry for _lying_ to me? Sorry for taking your _wedding ring_ off? Sorry for _fucking_ one of your colleagues?"

Her soon to be ex husband cowered behind the kitchen door as another glass shattered against the kitchen wall.

"Babe…look, I know it was wrong –"

Sara's gaze had turned steely as she calmed down somewhat, the anger now being vented through her words. "You know it was wrong? Tell me Jordan, if you knew it was wrong why did you do it, all of it? I'm a better person than I was two years ago…because of you I might add. I finally found someone who could love me, I thought things were going fantastically…tell me what went wrong, what went wrong between us that you had to pretend you had work and sneak off to fuck one of your younger colleagues?"

Jordan stepped away from the kitchen door and ran his hand through his blonde locks. Why did he do it? Because he was lonely, hell she was married to her job not him. He felt at times like he was just a project to her, something to work one while she wasn't at work. He stared at her and shrugged half-heartedly.

"Would you believe me if I said I was lonely?"

"Lonely? Ha! You see me every day."

He walked towards her and sat down at their breakfast bar, the soft padding of the barstool allowing him to make himself comfortable, for the time being.

"You just don't get it Sar…I see you every day but I don't see the real you anymore. I see a woman dedicated to her work more than her marriage."

Sara blew the stray hairs from her face and glared at him. "If this is because I don't want to start a family right now.."

Jordan shook his and sighed. "I know you don't want kids right now Sara, we've been married a year…it's obvious. But this isn't about that it's about work. The only thing really important to you."

Closing her eyes she could feel the adrenaline slowly losing its edge, hiding away for another time. How could he do this to her, she was his wife. What was she to do now, it was obvious the marriage was now over, she would never be able to trust him again, and trust is what was needed to have a stable relationship.

She walked to the kitchen cupboard and pulled out a small brush.

"Sara, what are we going to do?"

She blinked, slowly turned her head over her shoulder and said coldly. "First I'm going to clean up the mess I made, then I'm going to go into the bedroom that was once ours and pack my clothes and belongings into a bag."

He looked into her eyes, shock and shame clearly written on his features. He opened his mouth to ask why; before he got the chance she spat out her answer venomously.

"I'm leaving you."

_XxXxXxX_

LYING IN bed, Gil Grissom tossed and turned, his nightmare – an occurring thing – chilled him to his core. Body wet with sweat, his arms and legs got tangled in his sheets, his broad muscular body flopping around like a rag doll.

He could hear her, screaming for help. Sara's body tensing as her attacker stabbed her repeatedly, in the chest, the stomach, the arms and her legs. He cried out to her, he tried to move but was frozen to the spot as he watched her attacker undo his slacks and rip the little clothing she was wearing off of her pale and bloody body. He was dimly aware of a soft knocking coming from all directions, he looked around and saw nothing, the screaming of Sara brought him back to his senses as he watched the shadowed figure hover over her, ready to rape her. He screamed, he shouted, he wept as he watched what was happening, the knocking now becoming louder, more pronounced.

_Help me Gil!_

He stared into the brown orbs of Sara Sidle and smiled sadly as her attacker brutally raped her and slit her pale beautiful throat.

Grissom's eyes snapped open as he heard the banging ring out through his silent and empty home. He took in his surroundings, piecing all the information together. It was just a nightmare. The knocking was more forced this time, curious and spooked from his nightmare, he threw on a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt and made his way barefooted to his door.

He was expecting Catherine on the other side, as he opened his door, his eyes widened in shock as he took in Sara's appearance. She looked as if she had been crying; her clothes wrinkled and rumpled, her hair in serious need of a brush. He looked down to her feet and noticed two bags sitting there. She stared at him wide eyed and bit her bottom lip. She looked utterly beautiful in the frantic state she was in.

"Oh God…I woke you up didn't I? I…look it doesn't matter. Go back to sleep I'm sorry for waking you up."

He stared at her for some length of time; her eyes became watery as she looked into his blue eyes. "I didn't know where else to go…this is just a mess…I should go.."

"Sara, I'm just surprised to see you. Come on in." He opened the door wider for her to step inside, before she could lift her heavy bags, Grissom got there first and smiled.

Sara stood in the middle of his living room and fidgeted, it felt uncomfortable standing in his home. The last time they had been alone together was in her house, the day he had asked to kiss her. The day Gil Grissom changed her life.

It was true what Jordan had said; she was married to her work. Her work meant a lot to her, she needed some sort of stability.

Jordan, she knew now, was a waste of space. She had tried to love him, she really had. After the first few months of their marriage it was clear to Sara she did not love her husband. She of course had strong feelings towards him, but thinking back she knew that she had been lonely, he had came at the right time and had made her feel special. She hadn't meant to upset Grissom; it hadn't been her intention to make him jealous. She had just wanted to be happy for once.

When she and Jordan had started dating, he made her feel special. He was a romantic at heart doing everything he could to try and woo her. It had worked. He laughed at her jokes, he listened when she spoke. He had wanted to marry her, take care of her and be there for her.

It had been the night before their wedding that she knew she had to tell him about her childhood. If he knew now, knew what kind of person she was, what kind of person she had been back then and he didn't want her anymore, well…he wasn't the person she had thought he was. But he had understood, held her while she cried over the death of her father, the incarceration of her mother and the loss of her brother.

When Grissom had been in that position, sitting down in front of her while she poured her heart out, he had held her hand. She felt at that moment, when Jordan held her shaking body, his warmth spreading through her that this was the man she loved.

Of course it hadn't been love, it was something strong but not as strong as love.

Grissom slowly and carefully put her bags down and looked at her. It was obvious something wasn't right. The bags had made his heart pump a little faster. It was obvious she had left her husband.

He walked over to her and softly placed his hand on her shoulder, he could feel her trembling through the thick jumper she wore. "Sara…are you OK? You're shaking."

She tried to speak, nothing but a sob escaped from her chapped lips. He put his arms around her and led her to his couch. "Sit down, I'll go and make us some coffee."

She nodded and stared ahead as he began to make them much needed coffee. He hoped the caffeine would calm her down a bit. He watched her as he waited for the coffee to brew; she was upset that much was obvious. Her body slumped as she sat on his couch, her face expressionless. Her watery eyes trying to hide the frustration and pain she felt.

He walked slowly and placed her cup of coffee on the coffee table in front of them. She stared at it for a minute as if it were some foreign object. Grissom sat down next to her on the couch, his thigh brushing hers. Obviously uncomfortable she edged away from him a little. It was obvious she needed space.

He sipped his coffee thoughtfully, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She looked frail and fragile.

"He cheated on me."

Grissom's heart stopped there and then. Jordan had cheated on her? He placed his coffee on the table and turned around watching her. She wiped the lone tear that threatened to fall from her eye.

Anger, rage and confusion were the first of many emotions to hit Grissom. The man who had promised to love her till death do them part had cheated on her, the woman Grissom loved. How could the whelp do something so awful as cheating on his wife? He laid a comforting hand on her knee and looked into her sad eyes.

"You've…left him?"

She slowly nodded and brushed back the stray hairs in her face. "I don't know what to do." Her voice was remorseful.

Grissom stared ahead for a moment, thought's swirling round his head. He had finally gotten what he wanted, Sara…husbandless. He had wanted the marriage to end, he knew it wouldn't last. But now, he felt hollow. Wishing away something that had obviously made Sara happy. He felt as if he had caused this pain, so many nights wishing and wanting had left her in pain. Her bottom lip trembled as she informed him of what had happened.

"He said he was lonely, how could he be lonely with a wife? I was there for him; he was there for me…it stings, knowing he cheated on me. I just…Griss…you don't want to hear any of this, I'm just ranting…"

Grissom shook his head and wiped her tears away with his rough thumb. "You're in pain Sara, you shouldn't bottle any of this up."

Sara looked into Grissom's cold blue eyes, she had missed him. She had missed the close contact; she had missed their conversations at work. She had tried to forget him for the sake of Jordan; she didn't want to forget about him anymore. He was there for her; she was sitting on his sofa sobbing over her ass of a husband. Christ, why had she turned to Grissom? Why didn't she go to Catherine's or Nick's?

_Because you need him Sara. You need him right now.._

She felt the first tear slide down her cheek slowly, one after another, the tears cascading down her face like a waterfall. She tried to wipe them away, but the moisture stayed there, glimmering in the light. This is was true pain felt like; she had been rejected by the person she thought had truly loved her. Her body shook, her lips trembled, she needed comfort. She was an emotional wreck.

Without a thought she hugged Grissom, her slender arms tightening around his waist. He froze in shock, and slowly wrapped his arms around her. She buried her tear-streaked face in his neck, he smelled of soap and that unique smell of Grissom, manly and musky. He felt so good, his body holding her. If someone had walked into his Town House and found them like that, they would have thought they were in a lovers embrace.

He wanted her pain to go away. He closed his eyes and squeezed Sara; they would get through this together.

_TBC_

* * *

**A/N:** _Oooohh, domestic alert! Well, what did you guys think? I'm still not sure if it was a good idea writing a follow up. Reviews, suggestions and criticisms greatly appreciated._


	2. Chapter 2

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one…_

**A/N:**_ Wow…a lot of feedback, I take it you all LIKE! Well, I'm horrible at updating and things at school right now are as hectic as can be, so please don't give up if I don't update frequently. Thank you for all the reviews, they mean a lot, I know it sounds real cliché but they do. I think the reviews are what makes us writers continue, knowing that our work is being enjoyed by people. Wow…I'm just babbling now.._

* * *

Grissom stroked Sara's unruly curls as she lay with her head on his lap. He watched as her brown curls untangled and tangled as he played with them. She was breathing softly; her beautiful eyes closed a faint smile on her lips. He was glad at this moment that Sara wasn't too emotional…yet.

It would come. He had seen it all with Catherine, the temper, the tears, the denial and the depression. He was a friend, right now Sara needed her friends and if she were anything like Catherine she would need all the support she could get. Break ups were always nasty.

Break ups? Sara hadn't mentioned to him that they were breaking up. He was assuming, right now he didn't know what to think. They hadn't spoken to each other since the incident back at her house, the kiss that had rocked his world and changed his perception on life. The kiss that had somehow found it's way to his heart and had mended some of the pain. Now at her time of need she had turned up on his doorstep seeking his embrace to somehow heal the wounds that her prick of her husband had inflicted upon her.

_Soon to be ex-husband. _He told himself.

He stared at her bags that now lay next to his bedroom door. He was sure she needed a place to stay. He didn't have a spare room, always the gentleman he would give her his bed. He squinted at the VCR clock and winced. He needed to be at work in an hour. He couldn't leave Sara like this.

"Sara?" He whispered her name softly. There was no reply. If she were asleep it was emotionally induced. She looked tired and small, unlike the Sara that turned up to work every night and did her job.

He sighed and again called her name softly. This time she made a soft whimpering noise and snuggled into his lap. He froze at the contact. He needed to filter his emotions right now, Sara knew how he felt about her, but he didn't want her to get the wrong impression. Right now he was the friend he should have been years ago, he needed to help her and restore her faith in herself. He knew at some point she would start to question her attractiveness and her personality.

She would always be beautiful to him, she was HIS Sara. He felt some of the raw emotion coming back, tugging as his healing heart.

This isn't the time to think about all that Gil, she needs you to be her friend, remember that.

He mentally slapped himself and brushed the brown curls that were covering Sara's face away.

He caressed her soft cheek and watched as her face twitched at the contact, a small smile forming on his lips. He really needed to wake her; they needed to talk before he left for work.

"Sara." He shook her a little, her skinny body moving inch by inch, thankfully she was waking up.

The first thing Sara noticed was that she wasn't in bed, secondly she was fully dressed. She opened her eyes and gazed around her, the events of the day hitting her full force. She touched her face; she could feel the tears she had shed, dried and clinging on for life.

Wiping her face and eyes, she finally gained some sense of direction. She felt cloth rubbing against her cheek, it was warm. She felt her pillow move and gasped, sitting up properly and nearly colliding heads with Grissom, his curious eyes staring at her.

"Honey…"

She frowned and stood up, pacing the length of Grissom's living room. "Please don't."

Grissom ran his hand through his curls and shrugged. "Do what?"

Quickly Sara turned and faced the confused face of Grissom. "I didn't come here for…" She sighed heavily. "I need a friend right now Griss."

He stood up and walked towards her, his steps slow and deliberate. "I know Sara…"

"I'm so utterly confused. We still haven't talked about that kiss a few months ago Grissom. I want to know why."

Grissom's brow furrowed into a frown. "Why what?"

"Why the hell did you come to my house and ask me all those questions? I'm…_was_ happily married, and you turned up on my door step, questioning my love for Jordan and afterwards you had the audacity to kiss me…"

Sara licked her lips and continued.

"Why then, why did you decide to kiss me, why did you decide that it was then that I needed to know your feelings towards me?"

Grissom shrugged. "Because inside, they were tearing me up. I'm not the man I was before you got married Sara…I've changed."

Sara huffed a laugh. "That much is obvious."

"I'm trying to be the friend you needed me to be back then Sara. You've just found out the guy you thought you knew was cheating on you, I can see you're trying to be strong, but you're in pain."

He walked back to his couch and sat down heavily. He had hoped for more time, but it was obvious Sara wanted her answers now.

"Sara, I was there when Catherine found out Eddie was cheating on her. I was there, I saw her face change from expression to expression and then turn to stone. I know what you're going through, and I want to help."

Sara wiped her now wet eyes and sighed. Why had it come to this? If Grissom had made his move years ago she wouldn't be in this position now, crying over a jerk that had the cheek to call himself a husband. Husbands were meant to protect their wives, not inflict pain on them.

Where would she be now, if Grissom had said yes to her dinner invitation? Happily married to him with children? Sara winced inwardly; happiness was an emotion she wouldn't be feeling for quite some time. She was angry and pissed off, she had been made a fool out of. She had been used, abused and thrown in the gutter. This wasn't the life she had thought she would lead after marrying Jordan.

"I just want to know why he didn't come to me if he thought things were so bad. I mean..i would have listened, tried to sort things out. Make life better for the both of us. I didn't think he'd…cheat on me."

Grissom winced inwardly. She had really wanted the marriage to work. He had been stupid, he had been blind. The woman he loved loved someone else. It literally broke his heart in two.

He opened his mouth so speak, but the lump in his throat made it hard for him to do so. She stared at him, silently asking him to say something.

"Are.." He swallowed audibly and cleared his throat. "Are you going back to him?"

She shook her head and sighed, it sounded pained. "What is there to go back for? I can't live with someone I don't trust."

Grissom licked his lips and smiled softly. "Do you need somewhere to stay?"

"I uh…I'll go to a hotel. Look Grissom, I'm sorry for just appearing on your doorstep, I just didn't know where to go."

Grissom nodded his head. "My door is always open Sara." He stared at her for a moment and scratched his bearded chin. "Look, I don't have a spare room, but I'll easily sleep on the couch. Lucky for me I bought a comfy one." He smiled brightly. "Don't waste your money on a hotel Sara, stay here…at least then I'll know you're OK."

Sara's eyes squinted a little, her fingers picking off imaginary lint off her jumper. "I don't know Grissom, I don't want to throw you out of your bed."

"Sara, I sleep on the couch most nights…really, it's no trouble at all."

She took in his appearance for the first time that night and felt a little twinge in her stomach. She had forgotten how good he made her feel just watching him. She looked down at her now shoeless feet and wondered what Jordan was doing right at that moment. Phoning her friends to see where she was? Trying to get in touch with her? She had switched her cell off as soon as she had left their house.

What was she going to do, divorce him? Divorces were messy and they weren't cheap either. She knew at some point she'd have to phone Jordan and tell him what would be happening. She wouldn't be living in that house anymore; it would be best if she tried to find herself an apartment quickly. She would need to move her belongings, cut off all ties with him and try to get her life back together.

Inside the pain was almost unbearable. She thought that he had loved her. It had shocked her to find out that he had been sleeping with someone else.

She had known for a while that their relationship was failing miserably, they hardly ever had a proper conversation, most days were spent with them doing their separate things, at night she would set off for work and leave him by himself, either watching the television or finishing his paper work.

It had been one of those nights that she had picked up the wrong cell phone, making her way to work; she had just reached the Lab's entrance when the cell phone she had thought to be hers had started ringing. She looked at the caller ID, the name Jessica flashing on and off. She had stared in utter confusion, she never knew a Jessica. She had flipped the phone open and answered, her world had turned upside down then and there.

Jessica had asked who it was that had answered Jordan's cell phone, Sara had barked ' His wife ' . Jessica had gone silent on her end, suddenly speaking up for herself she had told Sara everything, how he had secretly wooed Jessica, buying her flash gifts and renting hotel rooms during the day when he was supposedly out working.

Sara had hung up and tucked the cell phone back into her pocket neatly; at the end of her shift she had made the decision to confront her husband. He had tried to deny it, he tried to purposely change the subject, Sara was having none of it. She wasn't a fool, yet he was treating her like one.

After an hour of denying everything, he had come clean. He had pleaded and begged her not to leave him. She hadn't uttered a word until he had said those dreaded words. "I'm sorry." She had blown up there and then, apologies were only words, and right now they meant nothing to her. Looking back, she was sickened by his behaviour. She had hated the person he had become, and he blamed it all on her. It was like a slap in the face.

"Sara, are you OK?"

She looked up suddenly, her reverie broken. "Hmm?"

"You uh…I think you kind of zoned out."

Sara suddenly felt tired, the events of the day catching up and exhausting her. She really needed to lie down. "Grissom, do you mind if I have a lie down, I uh…well..i'm tired."

He nodded and gestured for her to follow him. He quickly picked out the clothes he would be wearing for work and showed Sara where the bathroom was. "I uh, well…I changed the sheets today so they're clean…if you feel up to a shower there are clean towels in the cupboard."

Sara tried to smile, but her lips didn't move. She watched him as he stood nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. "I have to get ready for work…Its your night off isn't it? Well…if you need anything Sara, don't hesitate to call me at work. I'll probably just be catching up on paperwork."

"Thank you Griss…"

Dressed and ready to go Grissom looked in on Sara before he left. He watched her as she slept, her body effortlessly blending with the bed. Her troubled expression still etched on her face as she slept, probably dreaming of the thing she called a husband. He sighed and closed his bedroom door. How could he possibly keep this act up? Right now, he wanted to march over to her house and beat the living daylights out of the bastard.

As he walked to his SUV he wondered if Sara would ever be able to trust a man again…

_TBC_

* * *

**A/N:** _Hmm, was this chapter a let down? I dunno…. reviews, suggestions and criticisms appreciated_. 


	3. Chapter 3

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one.._

**A/N: **_Thank you for the reviews. Like I said before, I'm crap at updating so I apologise for the wait._

* * *

She couldn't pinpoint what exactly made her switch her cell phone on. Maybe it was the nagging inside her head, needing to know if her husband actually cared enough for her to plead over the phone to come home, maybe it was the thought that he might be going out of his head or maybe it was her gut instinct that told her, her husband really loved her.

She shook her head as she cradled her cell phone in her shaking hands. Did she really want to hear what he had to say, the deceit and the secrets? His apologies that meant nothing, just floating in the air that they both breathed in.

She switched the damned thing on and cringed as she heard the beep loud and clear in the silence of Grissom's Townhouse. She looked at the screen, her eyes becoming nothing more than slits as she recognised the flashing envelope and the soft vibration of her phone telling her she had several messages.

Did she really want to hear what he had to say for himself? Would she weaken and crumble and run back to the man that she thought she knew? She didn't want to turn into her mother, too weak to stand on her own until something pushed her over the edge. How would she handle it if she knew that he had cheated again? Maybe the next time one of the glasses or vases she had thrown would hit him in the face or head, disfiguring him or even killing him.

Letting out a sad sigh tinged with remorse she put the phone to her ear and listened to the messages that had been left by Jordan. One after another, his boyish voice pleading with her to answer her phone or at least send him a text message telling him that she was all right.

She frowned as she listened to the last message. He really did sound as if he were on the verge of breaking point.

_"Please Sara…i…there's just so much I can say before I start repeating myself babe. I said I was sorry, I know it doesn't feel like much but I didn't mean for it to happen. Please, call me I need to know that you're OK. Are you at a friend's house? Nick's or Greg's? Please…just…call me."_

Sara ended the message and laid her cell phone on Grissom's coffee table. She had tried to sleep, but it hadn't come easy. After waking up for the fourth time in an hour she decided that a cup of coffee was in order. It was then that she had noticed her cell phone lying by its lonesome.

Staring at it for a moment, she noticed that it was vibrating again. Another message? She looked at the display screen and gasped as she read the word _Jordan_ as it flashed on and off. He was phoning her, what was she going to do? She wanted to answer it, to tell him that he was forgiven but she wasn't that kind of woman. She took a deep breath and reached for the barer of bad news and answered.

"What do you want Jordan?"

She heard him sigh on the other end; she knew that relief was flooding through his body.

"God babe, you had me scared there. Why weren't you answering your phone?"

"Because…" She paused and stared at Grissom's butterfly collection staring back at her from his pale walls. It was a silent reminder that she knew she had someone right now who cared for her. She gained strength from the butterflies and blinked.

"Because I don't want to speak to you."

"Sweetheart…we can make this work. Please, just give me an hour at the most, anywhere you want a café or whatever, somewhere where we can talk."

Sara sucked in a lung full of air and grabbed the phone away for her ear just long enough to give the phone a look of contempt.

"Jordan. What don't you understand?"

"Huh…I.."

"This marriage ended the moment you put your grubby hands on that..that…woman. Don't bother sucking up to me. Don't call me again. I don't want to speak to you. Get it through your thick freakin skull…it's over!"

She hung up on him and threw the phone against Grissom's wall, the phone shattering into several pieces. Was the guy just plain thick? Did he think with a few nice words, a meeting or two things would be hunky dory? Life wasn't like that. Sara wasn't a mug, and she hated being treated like one, she was an independent woman. She had lived by herself for years, did Jordan honestly thing she wouldn't be able to live her life without him? Boy he was wrong.

She looked down at her entwined hands and stared at the two rings that adorned her ring finger. Those rings were given during a time of love and affection, looking at them now she knew they meant nothing, just bands of gold and cheap diamonds.

She took them both off and laid them on the coffee table and stared at the rings for what seemed like an hour. Her world was coming to an end; she had just finished her first marriage at the age of 35. She shook her head in disbelief; a sad smile finding it's way to her cracked lips.

She had just told her husband that there was nothing left to keep them together. Their marriage was over.

_Hell, that was easier than I imagined it to be. Let's just hope the divorce goes smoothly._

_XxXxXxXxXxX_

As the shift wore on Grissom became more and more concerned for Sara. She hadn't called or left a message, he had asked both Nick and Greg if they had heard from her and they had both said no. Maybe she was still sleeping? She was in emotional turmoil right now; she would be worn out with all the commotion and the adrenaline wearing out.

What could he do there and then? She had come to his door for guidance and reassurance, hell he knew he wasn't the best person to turn to, but he thought that he had handled the situation well. He hadn't stumbled over his words or said the wrong thing, he had acted as concerned as any individual would have done, he had asked appropriate questions and comforted Sara in the only way he knew how.

He stared at the small pile of paperwork on his desk and frowned. Why was he here doing mindless paperwork, when he knew he could take it home and look after Sara at the same time? He mentally slapped himself into gear and started to tidy up.

Catherine watched him from outside his office and without knocking wandered in and sat down. She noticed he looked much stressed tonight, his mouth a fine line between a grimace and a frown. His eyes were much darker, he almost looked…upset.

"Come on Gil. Spill the beans."

He looked up from his tidying and shook his head.

"There are no beans to spill."

"Ha! Yeah right. Come on…what's troubling you? You've been stuck here in your office all night with a face like a smacked behind."

Grissom stopped what he was doing and looked at her, his eyebrow rising. He sighed and sat back down.

"Whatever I tell you in here Cath, doesn't leave this room…understand?"

She nodded and unconsciously sat forward in her seat.

Grissom rubbed his bearded chin and cleared his throat.

"Sara turned up at my door tonight."

Catherine's eyes squinted and a small smile formed on her lips. So, his mood was obviously influenced by Sara.

"And?"

"Jordan cheated on her."

There was a moment's silence before Grissom's comment actually registered in Catherine's brain.

"WHAT?"

Grissom winced and stood up, walking to his door he closed it silently and sat back down. Catherine's face had formed into an expression of utter disbelief and rage.

"No…I mean…this is Jordan we are speaking about. God...he loves Sara from the bottom of his heart, he wouldn't do anything like _that_."

Grissom shrugged and stared at his phone, waiting for it to ring, for it to be Sara's voice on the other end telling him that she needed him.

Catherine watched her friend and a cold feeling crept into the pit of her stomach.

"Gil, please tell me you haven't gotten involved?"

"Catherine, I was involved the minute Sara decided to come to my place. She needs a friend right now and…"

"And what? You're there for her? Hell Gil…you're playing with fire here. Sara is married, she isn't yours anymore."

Grissom silenced Catherine with his upturned hand. "Please. I know…that for the past 5 years I've been a foolish ass. I know that, I don't need you or anyone else rubbing that fact into my face. I know my feelings are more than just…look what I'm trying to say is that I will be there for Sara, through thick and thin. She needs me and…I need her."

Catherine shook her head and licked her now dry lips. "Mmhmm, and what happens when Jordan comes looking for her, are you going to defend her then? What if she goes back to him, you're going to be back where you first were, torn and broken and on the line of burning out."

Grissom bit his lip and wished that he hadn't told Catherine. She had always been wary of Sara since the first day she had turned up. She had never liked the fact that instead of the tech's drooling over her, they now had Sara to drool over. Hell Grissom had drooled over her many times. But Catherine knew what Sara was going through right now, and he knew that she knew Sara needed someone behind her, to defend her and help her through her time of need. If anyone was going to breakdown from this incident Grissom knew it would be Sara.

"I understand what you're trying to say Cath, but I need to be the friend I needed to be 5 years ago. I've cast aside my feelings for the moment to help Sara through this."

Catherine sighed and nodded. "Yep. Whatever happens Gil, never forget how much Sara means to you. If she goes back to Jordan then so be it, but please don't blame yourself."

Grissom stared into the eyes of his friend as he silently told himself that Sara wouldn't be running back to Jordan, not now not ever.

_XxXxXxXxX_

Sara had been washing the cup she had used to drink her coffee out of as she heard the door to the Town house open. She stilled for a moment and continued to wash as she heard Grissom walking into the living room and set his briefcase down.

"Hey."

Grissom looked up. "Hey yourself."

Drying the cup she set it down on his worktop and turned around to face him.

"How was work?"

He shrugged. "Same old, same old."

"It feels weird not being in on my day off."

Grissom sat down on his couch and watched her. "Under the circumstances I'd say that staying here tonight was probably the best thing for you. Did it give you time to think?"

She bit her bottom lip and nodded forcefully. "Yes it did."

"Good."

"Jordan called." There, she had blurted it out rather quickly, almost fearfully but she had done it. She watched Grissom as his facial expression didn't change, but the tick in his jaw gave away the anger he felt.

"What did he want?" His voice sounded gruff and hoarse.

"He…" Sara sat down next to Grissom. "He asked me to go meet him somewhere."

Grissom's head flew to the side and stared at her open mouthed. "I hope you told him no!"

Grissom closed his eyes at the forcefulness of his voice. He was giving away too much; it was obvious Sara knew how much this was affecting him. "I'm sorry Sara…it's just that I think how much you love the guy…and he goes and does a thing like that. He doesn't think about the consequences of his actions..he just.."

"Hey I understand, loud and clear. But, you have no reason to worry Griss, I told the SOB never to call me again, and that it was over. I'm filing for divorce…this just happened sooner rather than later."

Grissom nodded and reached over to grasp Sara's hand in his. He looked at her ring finger and noticed that both her wedding and engagement rings were gone. Maybe just maybe he had a chance after all.

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: **_Eeesh! I've waited long enough to update. Things right now in life have changed for the worse and I'm finding it hard trying to find time to write. But don't fear because another chapter is here! Ha, anyways like before, reviews suggestions and criticisms are greatly appreciated. If something's on your mind, don't hesitate to ask ANYthing._


	4. Chapter 4

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_Read chapter one.._

**A/N: **_Wow thank you guys! You lot are the best. I'm so glad you like this; it was a wise decision to continue then. As I write this I try and keep the characters in character, I think maybe in some parts they are a little OOC. In **Let Me Kiss You **I had Grissom mourning for what he lost, and I'm trying to keep that pain inside him. Living with Sara for a day or two isn't going to change anything he feels at that moment, but who knows...maybe Grissom might blow under the stress of trying to be that friend Sara so desperately needs and not the lover he wants to be…_

* * *

Gil Grissom had lived in silence for most of his life. He welcomed it at times when the Lab was extremely busy, the hustle and bustle of tech's and CSI's trudging through the Lab causing commotion or whining, Greg's music that he detested so much. But never had he welcomed it in his own home.

He always had the television on, a documentary here a poker game there. The busy activity of the television let Grissom get away from life, the horrors and unspeakable things he had seen throughout his career. Sitting on his couch he could drift off into the world he sought out, peace and tranquillity. He needed to live; he needed to be someone not something. It was at one of those times in front of the television that he tried to analyse the relationship that was him and Sara.

It had been a tough few hours, sifting through the evidence, the sly touches and the off-handed remarks. The looks and the body language, and he had come to one conclusion…there was definitely something going on between them both.

He worked well with Catherine, he enjoyed working with Warrick, working with Nick was easy yet liberating and working with Greg was just…madness. But working with Sara…something strange took over their bodies. They would work in tandem, finishing each other's thoughts and sentences, being there when they needed something, that wasn't the workings of a friendship. It was something more.

And then, when he knew exactly what to do about them his world had come crashing down. Sara had announced that she was engaged to some guy called Jordan who she had known for over a year. His heart broke into a thousand pieces as he stood and watched as she smiled and laughed as Warrick, Nick, Greg and Catherine made off hand remarks and jokes. How they had congratulated her and hugged her kissed her and wished her well.

He on the other hand could only stare and hope that it was some kind of twisted joke. It hadn't been, he had had to plaster a fake smile on his face and grit his teeth as he congratulated her, she had pulled his stiff hand towards her and hugged him. He smelled her hair as he stood stiffly waiting for her to loosen her grip and let go of him.

He had lost Sara Sidle and he didn't think he'd be able to have her again, that was until he had taken the initiative and laid all his cards on the table and turned up to her home. He had shown her how he felt, he had spoke to her more then than he had that year and as he left, he had felt like a new man. That was until he found out that instead of their marriage weakening in had become stronger. He had cried a thousand tears for Sara Sidle and now she had returned, into the safety of his arms hoping he could slay the demons that were now before her, haunting and hurting her.

He sat in front of the television watching some programme on the dangers of damaging the rain forest. His interest hadn't piqued at all throughout the programme. He couldn't keep his mind off Sara Sidle. She lay in the next room sleeping in his bed. The bed that he had dreamed of whisking her away from that prat of a husband and loving her. The bed he had thought about what her lips would feel like, what she looked like as she slept? What she felt like as he made love to her. The bed that he had pleasured himself in thinking of her naked and willing to make love to him.

He scratched his greying curls and sighed tiredly. It had been a long shift, the paperwork and the heart to heart with Catherine. Anything feelings related had him exhausted.

Switching off the T.V. he tried to settle down on the couch and sleep. He tossed and turned and couldn't find a proper position that he felt comfortable in. While trying to gather his exhausted self into a proper position he faintly heard whimpering. His eyes narrowed as the sound faded away and all too quickly came back again, this time a little louder.

"What the..?"

He stood up and stumbled through his Townhouse checking each room, once he was satisfied that there was nothing locked in or locked out he made his way back to his couch, when the whimper slowly turned into a painful wail. He stood still and turned in the direction of his bedroom and slowly padded to it. He opened the door slowly and softly as to try and not wake Sara and walked inside.

It was dark, the blinds had been closed and the curtains were shut, he looked to his bed where Sara's thin form lay shaking. That wasn't right, she was shaking? It wasn't cold.

"Sara." He whispered her name almost seductively. No reply.

He moved closer to his bed and watched as she scrunched her face up and closed her eyes tightly, the tears now being blocked. His heart pumped painfully in his chest as he watched her try and handle her pain. She looked strong on this outside but was an emotional mess on the inside. Sara Sidle hated being seen as weak.

He walked over and sat down, watching her face as he did so. Her facial expression never changed as he brushed several drying tears off her cheek. She leaned into his caress as he moved forward, and brought her body to his in an emotional hold.

He could feel her frail body shaking as he hugged her, his muscular body holding her to himself, his silent way of telling her he was there for her. Her cries were muffled in his t-shirt as she brought her face to his chest, the tears soaking through.

He didn't know how long they stayed in that position for, he thought Sara had fallen asleep until she murmured something inaudible and started to move. When she came face to face with Grissom he almost gasped at the emotion he saw. Pure lust shone in her eyes, dripping and teasing him. Her lips wet, he stared at them and unconsciously licked his.

He knew he shouldn't have been moving towards her ever so slowly but he was. She was emotional right now, didn't know what she was doing, yet here he was seducing her. Their lips touched in a chaste kiss. He could taste the salt from her tears, he felt her lips press harder against his and he knew then that he was lost.

Their mouths moved quickly over one another, sloppy kisses turned into breathless inspections of each other's mouths. Tongues danced and teeth crashed into each other. After only a few minutes both pairs of lips were bruised and swollen. They looked into each other's eyes and once again kissed each other with abandon.

Grissom's hands wandered down Sara's tank top and panties, resting on her thighs. His mind screamed for him to stop, but his body betrayed him. Right now he needed her. All of her.

He had always dreamed about the moment he would make love with Sara Sidle, where it would be soft and warm, each other loving the other's body, yet here they were frantically kissing, ready to fuck each other. This was wrong, but it felt so good.

Grissom groaned as Sara pressed her body against his, his throbbing erection pulsating against her body. He could feel himself peeling away her tank top to cover her breasts with his large manly hands, the soft skin manipulated by his harsh fingers, squeezing and pinching the nipples.

"Oh God." Sara gasped as she felt her orgasm wash over her, breathing hard she watched as Grissom kissed her neck and moved downwards to the valley of her breasts. Realisation hit her as she watched him. What were they doing? She thought he was a friend. Was this all planned? Had he meant her to stay to lure her into bed and fuck her? Tears began to form in her eyes again as she pushed Grissom away. His head bolted and looked at her with a confused gaze.

"I..I can't. Oh God Grissom."

He watched as she sobbed.

"Sara…look…I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened, you're upset…"

"It didn't stop you trying to fuck me though!"

He shook his head and pleaded with her with his eyes. "Sara…I want to make love with you…i…"

She pushed him off his bed and covered herself with the duvet. "Get out Grissom! Get out!"

"But…but.." He watched as she sobbed, her features quickly turning to pain. One minute she had been ready and willing, and the next she had accused him of luring her to his house to have his way with her and throw her out with the trash once finished.

He walked out of his room and closed the door behind him. His eyes watered with unshed tears. He was confused, she was confused…but she didn't need to make what had happened in his bedroom sound like his fault. She hadn't stopped him when he had started to undress her, or kiss her. What the hell had happened?

He sat down on his couch heavily and put his face in his hands, his erection slowly softening. What was he going to do now?

**TBC**

* * *

_Ok, I thought that with Sara being emotional and that she might make rash decisions and regret them. Not that she's regretting what just happened, just the way it DID happen. Remember to press that go button and send a review, whether it is positive or negative, a suggestion or a criticism. I value all feedback._


	5. Chapter 5

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one.._

**A/N: **_Ooooh another chapter, I'm getting better with my updating skills eh?_

* * *

Sara lay in Grissom's bed and sobbed. What had she done? He was trying to be a friend to her and she had pushed him away. Hell she had nearly had sex with him, what was wrong with her? She curled up on her side and pulled the duvet closer to her bare chest. 

She was going through the motions, at first she thought that the end of her marriage meant little to her, she didn't love Jordan, why should she be upset or feel bad? But she did, inside it was pulling her apart, she knew it shouldn't be. She felt as if she had been cast aside, he had slept with a younger woman; Grissom's insecurities were now passed onto her. She would have never thought that she would fear her husband would trade her in for something younger, she was exactly old folks home material.

It had happened and now she had to pick the pieces up. There had been times when she had to pick herself up, dust herself off and hold her head up high through out her life, times much harder and harsher than this. She knew inside she wasn't to blame; she had embraced their marriage and gotten on with life.

Grissom's bed smelled of him, it was both comforting and nauseating. What had she done? Grissom was trying to be a friend; he wanted to help her through this. He certainly knew how seeing as he had lived through it once before with Catherine.

Sara shook her head and mentally slapped herself. She had messed up and bad, she had tried to sleep with Grissom, taking comfort in his body cherishing hers and then pushing him away, she felt like a common cock teaser.

It had been an hour since she had thrown Grissom out of his own bedroom, the Townhouse was silent. Standing up on shaky legs Sara went to Grissom's bathroom and decided to wash her face and tidy herself up.

She looked at herself in his mirror and glared at the tired face staring back. Her hair was way too curly for her liking, her lips were severely chapped and her face was pale and drawn in.

_God Sara, what the hell has he done to you?_

She would need to go to work she knew that. There was no point in hiding and bottling things up, being around her friends would surely cheer her up.

She dried her face and applied some chapstick to her lips and slipped her tank top back on. Images of Grissom taking it off and worshipping her breasts came back to her and she shuddered at the way she had told him to get out, she had shouted at him, he was probably sitting down on his couch confused and frustrated with her.

She had wanted it from the start, Grissom's attention. She had gotten what she had dreamed of and somehow it hadn't lived up to her fantasies and dreams. She certainly hadn't dreamed of sleeping with him while being married.

_Yeh Sara, but it's not as if it would have been cheating. Your marriage is over remember_?

That was true.

She stared at his closed bedroom door, trying to get her thoughts together. She knew she'd have to get up and apologise to him for her confusing behaviour. Would he forgive her?

Sighing she stood up and slowly made her way towards the door, turning the handle ever so slowly she peeked into the hall and tried to make out the objects of his living room through the blackness. She would need to actually step into his living room before she'd be able to face him. What was she going to say to him when she found him? _Hey, I'm sorry for you and your boner, never meant to tease you._

"Get a grip Sara.." She whispered to the darkness.

As soon as she reached his living room she noticed his dark figure huddled on his couch sleeping. She smiled at the image and walked closer. She bent down and traced his beard with her finger. His nosed twitched, his hand batting away the tickling intruder.

"Gil." She whispered his name into his ear, her breath tickling both his ear and neck. He moaned through his sleep and smiled.

She watched him for several minutes and moved to his face, ever so lightly she placed her warm lips on his, there wasn't much contact but it woke Grissom up.

"Hmmph."

Sara smiled again and brushed his greying curls from his face.

"Grissom."

"Sara?" He whispered, obviously confused.

She rubbed his shoulder as she buried her face in his neck and breathing next to his ear. "I'm sorry."

"It's um...it's okay."

She nuzzled his neck for a moment and lifted her head to meet his eyes in the darkness. "Is it? Is it really okay?"

Grissom sat up and pulled her into a warm embrace, running his hands through her hair. "Right now Sara you're hurting. I'm here for you, whether you like it or not, I want to help you through this."

She nodded as he caressed her neck and placed a kiss on her head.

"Let's get you back to bed." She moaned as he pulled her to her feet and guided her to his bedroom.

As she lay down on his bed, the duvet resting just below her chin she pulled on his hand. "Gil." She whispered. "Will you stay with me?"

He gave her a lopsided grin and lay down next to her and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. As Grissom lay staring at his roof listening to her breathing he knew that in the morning they would need to talk and try to sort this mess out.

_XxXxXxXxX_

Sara yawned and stretched out in bed, jumping as she felt someone next to her. Looking over she noticed Grissom - mouth parted slightly sleeping. He looked much younger asleep, his face relaxed, his boyish features making her smile.

Getting out of bed slowly as to not wake him up she went to the bathroom and had a quick shower, her clothes neatly folded on the toilet seat. She dried herself and quickly got dressed and brushed her teeth. Feeling fresher she brushed her hair trying to make herself look tidier, her curls tamed a little.

By the time Grissom woke up Sara was ready to go to work. He sleepily blinked at her several times and covered a yawn with his hand.

"Are you okay?"

Sara nodded and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I guess you want to talk about last night?"

Grissom sat up and noticed she was fully dressed. "Only if you want to Sara. I'm not rushing you."

"I want to talk about it. It might make me feel a bit better."

"Alright."

Sighing she ran a hand through her hair.

"Last night I was upset about the whole failing marriage thing."

"Sara…it's to be expected."

She looked at him and nodded. "I know, I was angry at myself and I was angry at Jordan. And then it dawned on me how you must have felt when I came along and…well asked you out."

Grissom raised a confused eyebrow.

"I felt old. He had cheated on me with a younger woman and I felt…useless, unattractive almost ugly."

"Ugly? Sara you are Beautiful. It's not your fault he can't keep his dick in his pants. Please listen to me…you did _nothing_ wrong."

"He blamed me for his cheating. That pissed me off so much. My work is important to me and he expected me to drop everything when it suited him."

Grissom got up out of bed and sat down next to her, holding her hand and his.

"He's a fool. Please don't blame yourself Sara. You're strong you'll get through this."

Sara nodded and smiled shyly at him. "Okay, we've had the 'talk' I think you should get dressed for work."

_XxXxXxXxX_

Being back to work felt like a load off of Sara's shoulders. Seeing Nick, Greg, Warrick and Catherine made her feel that little bit stronger, knowing she had friends there for her. Grissom had told her during their ride to work that he had told Catherine about what happened and that she would help Sara out if she needed someone to talk to.

Walking into the break room all four of them looked up and smiled. Catherine looked awfully concerned.

Nick stood up and rounded the break room table and gathered her in a bear hug. "Sara…I'm your friend, why didn't you tell me sugar?"

She shrugged and looked around the break room.

"Please don't treat me any differently, what's happened has happened. Let that be the end of it…OK?"

All four of them nodded. She sat down next to Greg and peered over the edge of his magazine to read what he was reading.

"_Ten ways to bed the guy of your dreams._ Honestly Greggo…"

Greg's faced turned a nice shade or red. "Hey! I need tips on how to woo the woman of my dreams…" He seductively winked at Sara.

"Haha. No chance. Get back to your…girls mag."

Warrick and Catherine glanced at each other. Sara was handing her husbands infidelity well.

Grissom walked into the break room with their assignments.

"Nicky, you, Sara and Greg have a DB in Henderson. Warrick, Catherine you're with me."

Catherine finished off the cup of coffee she had been drinking and looked at Grissom suspiciously. "What do we have?"

Grissom winked at her. "Bugs."

_XxXxXxXxX_

Sara was in the locker room finishing for the night. She looked at herself in the small mirror in her locker and smiled. She looked normal…like the Sara before the incident. Slipping on her jacket and throwing her badge into her locker she decided to stop by Grissom's office.

She stood at his doorway and watched as he finished his paperwork for the night. "Hey.."

He looked up from his pile and smiled slightly. "Hey you, will I meet you outside the Lab? I've got 2 more reports to sign and then I'm finished."

Sara nodded. "Sure I'll – "

Judy the receptionist interrupted Sara's reply as she briskly walked up to her.

"Sara you have a visitor at reception."

Sara looked at Grissom. "I'll see you outside."

Sara followed Judy down the hall until she reached reception and looked to see if she knew anyone there. Suddenly the person she least expected to see stood next to a water dispenser finishing the remains of a cup.

"Jordan."

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N:** _Gosh that was a crappy chapter; I'll try and make it up to you guys in the next chapter. Review, review, review…did I mention to review?_


	6. Chapter 6

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one.._

**A/N:**_ Mmhmm, confrontation time. Thank you for all of your reviews so far._

* * *

Jordan turned around and crushed the plastic cup that moments ago held his water before throwing it in the trashcan. He looked at Sara longingly and smiled slightly.

"Babe."

Sara winced at his term of endearment. This was all she needed; didn't he understand that she didn't want to see him again? He had hurt her, and every time she seen his face, or heard his voice the pain would come back prickling her already damaged heart

"I told you I never wanted to talk to you again."

He stepped closer to her and shrugged. "I needed to see you Sara. We have to sort things out."

Sara glared at her husband. "Sort what out Jordan?" Her voice changed into a low almost menacing whisper. "You'll get the divorce papers in the post. Leave me alone!"

He shook his head. "I won't sign 'em. You're my wife, we have a marriage to save."

Sara grit her teeth and pushed him outside, away from prying eyes. It was one thing her friends and Grissom knowing, it was another with the whole of the Lab witnessing a domestic scene between husband and wife planning on splitting up.

Everyone had thought that it would be a perfect marriage, married for a year or two at the most and then children.

"Jordan you have no right coming to my place of work to come whine and moan at me for leaving you. You slept with the woman; you ended this marriage. As for not signing the divorce papers when you get them…fine but I'm not going back to you. It's over. Do you hear me? It's _over_."

Jordan laughed and grabbed her left arm harshly. Shaking her a little. "You're my wife, you'll do as I say. You're coming home right now."

Puling her arm back she pushed him away from her and pointed a finger in his direction. "Don't you EVER touch me again."

Grissom packed up for the night, signing the last report, he slowly made his way to Lab's exit. Stopping abruptly outside as he listened in on Sara's argument with her husband. Anger flooded his body as he heard the harsh tone of Jordan's voice.

"Leave her alone."

Jordan turned round and glared at Grissom. His eyes projecting his anger.

"This has nothing to do with you _GIL_. This is between me and my wife."

Grissom looked over towards Sara and stepped closer. She looked shaken and angry. He stared at Jordan as the younger man glared at Sara and then Grissom.

"Huh…what's going on here then?"

Sara stepped away from her husband and folded her arms across her body.

"Nothing is going on. Just go."

Jordan watched as Grissom's concerned eyes moved over Sara's body automatically almost territorially.

"Take your eyes off of her." Grissom lifted an inquisitive eyebrow at the younger man.

"Leering at her like she's some piece of meat. She's my wife! What the hell has this got to do with you Grissom?"

Jordan took several steps towards Grissom. "She's told me all about you. How you hurt her, treated her like crap…you think you can barge in on my wife and I as we were having a private conversation..?"

"It's not exactly private when you're man handling her outside of my Lab now, is it?"

Inside Grissom was absolutely fuming. He had seen the way Jordan had been pulling at Sara's arm, obviously hurting her. This had everything to do with Grissom, he was her friend and he vowed to Catherine and especially to himself that he would protect Sara no matter what.

"Just get out of here Jordan. She doesn't want to speak to you. Don't make me get security to escort you from these premises."

Jordan turned back to Sara with a look of guilt his facial features softened. He looked almost childish. "Sara sweetheart…you know I wouldn't hurt you. We need to talk about this; it's obvious you aren't thinking straight with him around. I love you Sara, please come home."

For a moment it looked as if Sara was thinking over his little speech. She watched as his eyes began to shine a little, his mouth quirked up into a cheeky smile thinking that he had won her over. Her gaze moved to Grissom, he was standing stock still, his face holding no emotion. His blue eyes almost seemed black as the light shone on them awkwardly.

"Jordan, what is it you want to here me say? That I love you? That I need you?" Sara shook her head; a small sad smile making it's way to her lips.

"I don't love you and I certainly don't need you. I've said it! It had to be said…you're not the one I love." Sara's eyes held Grissom's, his face lit up in recognition.

Jordan's shoulders slumped as her words finally sank in. He was a broken man, he had no wife, no child…nothing. Their whole marriage had been a sham from the start. He swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and then down.

"Well what was this then?" He held his ringed finger up. "Some sort of way to get _him_ jealous? Did it work? I always knew there was something going on. FOR GOD SAKE SARA!"

Taking his wedding ring off he threw it towards Grissom violently.

"You can have her."

Walking off, his back turned he didn't see the smiles on both Grissom and Sara's faces.

_XxXxXxXxX_

Grissom for the second time stood in Sara's hallway admiring the house. It was a family home; the spacious rooms and many windows gave it an airy feel to it. There was lot's of room for children's mess and toys. The last time Sara had been here it was obvious she had gave it a good clean.

He walked through into the living room and picked up several photographs, they were of Sara and Jordan along with family members and friends.

He had never been one for photographs, he didn't want to document the times in his life where he was lonely and tired, photographs were for happy moments in peoples lives where they wanted to remember something in that one perfect shot.

These pictures were all perfect, Sara's perfect smile as she looked into Jordan's eyes. He sighed as he imagined these kind of photographs planted around his Townhouse of him and Sara.

It had been two weeks since Jordan's confrontation outside the Lab; Sara had started getting on with her life. She was cheerful and fun like her old self. It had been agreed that she would stay at Grissom's Townhouse until she could find a place for herself.

She had filed for divorce the day after the argument, her lawyer telling her that the divorce papers were being made up and would be sent out shortly. It was an obvious weight lifted from her shoulders. She needed to get rid of anything Jordan or marriage related, they were both in the past and she was now looking forward to the future.

"Hey." She stood inside the living room's doorway, much the same way she did in his office. Her soft smile easing him a little.

"Did you get everything you needed?" She nodded and held the several packed bags that were at her feet up.

"Good. Ready to go?"

"I sure am."

As they drove back to his Townhouse, Sara was awfully silent gazing out of the SUV's window. Grissom's gaze kept flickering to her every now and then, feeling a little concerned at the silence he decided to ask if she was okay.

"Sara."

Her 'Mmm' was all that Grissom got in reply.

"Honey, are you alright?"

She turned to him and brushed a bit of hair out of her face. "Yeah…it's just that, well…I'm going to miss that house."

"The memories or the actual house?"

"Both I suppose. There were good times and bad times in there. And it is a beautiful house." Grissom nodded in agreement.

Sara and Jordan had had a brief discussion on what would be happening along with the divorce. They both had their own cars and there were no pets to squabble over, they had their separate bank accounts, the only thing that tied them together was the house. They had both agreed that selling it would be the wise thing to do. They would then split what they got for the house half and half.

Jordan had been rather nice when she had spoken to him, he admitted that he had been selfish and stupid and by sleeping with the young woman at his work he had ruined their marriage. He had also agreed to sign the divorce papers and had apologised several times to her for his actions outside of the Lab.

It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was finally over; she was ready for her new life.

She looked over at Grissom and watched his face as he drove; he had been a massive help to her during the mess. He had been there for her like the old Grissom would have. Their relationship was blossoming; over the two weeks she had been staying at his Townhouse they had had several chats. Sara was glad that things were back on track.

Once they arrived at Grissom's Townhouse Sara dumped her several packed cases and sat down heavily on his couch. Going back to her house had been a good idea to start off with, but the longer she had been in there the more the good memories came back.

Mentally and physically she was exhausted. Going through her old things, packing what she thought she would need and leaving what she deemed useless behind. Grissom had been a massive help just being there for her.

"How about I fix us some lunch?"

Sara's head lifted enough for her gaze to land on Grissom's face, his lips were upturned in a soft smile.

"Sure."

She leaned back and closed her eyes as she listened to Grissom working away at his kitchen. He loved cooking for her, he never said it but he showed his affection through actions rather than words. She heard him chopping something and throwing it into a pan, the faint hiss of the oil slowly cooking whatever it was he had planned for lunch.

What seemed like hours were actually minutes, he set the table and slowly made his way to a relaxing Sara. Her eyes closed and her beautiful lips pursed.

"Sara, lunch is ready."

She opened her eyes and smiled at a smiling Grissom and got up to eat. Before they tucked into their food Grissom poured them both a glass of apple juice and raised his glass in a toast.

"To new beginnings."

Sara raised her glass and smiled her hundred-watt smile.

"To new beginnings."

**TBC…**

* * *

**A/N:**_ Well…what did you guys think? I hate dragging story lines on forever and I thought that this chapter was the end of Jordan. Damn I hated that character. Anyway, you guys know where that button is…._

_I'd like to thank all the people who have reviewed so far and that is _

_**Brandie.d, smacky30, Bellabrew, odeepblue, ann73, Ssfanatic, martini crazy, Anonymous Skeleton, gnesd, urbanista, Saralove33, Lapsus Stili**_

_I hope i haven't missed anyone out. Your reviews mean so much and they keep me going... thank you. _


	7. Chapter 7

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer:**_See chapter one.._

**A/N:**_ Yay, another chapter! I'd like to add at this point, that I have several exams coming up, my art one is on Tuesday and I'm rather panicked. EEEK! So..i will TRY to update sooner rather than later..but no promises!_

* * *

"You know…when you said we were going on a date I thought you meant a _date._"

Sara' eyes glittered as she watched Grissom walk in front of her slowly, taking in his surroundings. He turned around and held her amused gaze, the light of the moon sharpening his facial features, the dark casting shadows on his face. He quirked an eyebrow and pursed his lips.

"This is a date."

Sara smiled and nodded following Grissom's slow journey around the body farm.

"Do you take all of your date's to the body farm then?" She waited for his response as she stared at a partially decomposing body of an elderly woman.

"Only the special ones."

Sara huffed a laugh. "Sweet talker."

They ambled around the body farm staring at the bodies that lived there. Grissom had known how much Sara had wanted to visit the body farm ever since the meat bullet case. He shuddered at the thought. The look on Sara's face as he pulled up outside of the farm was priceless, her brown orbs had lit up and shined consistently as he'd showed the guard his ID and ushered Sara through.

It was their first date and he thought it was going rather well, she would ask the right questions, her curious mind always the ever-perceptive CSI. Whenever she smiled he felt a tug at his heartstrings, she was sensual, beautiful and perfect. He wanted to do things right from now on, he had wasted enough time. He had already lost her to one man, losing her again would break him.

She bent down and studied a body that lay partially in water. It was her first time here and it was fantastic. Grissom definitely got ten out of ten for this date.

"Are you enjoying it so far?"

She turned and watched as he stood still, his arms folded across his chest gazing at her face framed in the moonlight.

"Of course! I've always wanted to visit here. It's fascinating…thank you Griss. This means a lot."

He nodded and smiled softly as she stood up and stretched. "So…where to after this?"

"Well…I thought that seeing as it's so late into the night we could go back to the Townhouse and watch a movie? I just...well.." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not good at this whole 'date' thing. A movie seems the simplest thing to do."

Sara walked over to him and squeezed his shoulder. "Griss, you're doing fine. One step at a time remember?"

Again he nodded and took her small pale hand in his manlier one and headed back to his car.

The drive to his Townhouse was silent; Sara watched the people whiz by as Grissom drove through the strip. The lights were fantastic during the night, this was what Vegas was all about, everything was lit up as if it were Christmas. The out of towners amazed by it's beauty as they walked and pointed at the lights. Sara smiled as she remember the day she first came to Vegas, during the day everything had been quiet, but at night she had decided to visit the strip. She had been blown away at how pretty it was.

Grissom pulled up outside his house and killed the engine. He looked at Sara for a few seconds before hopping out and opening her door for her, always the gentleman. Sara smiled and climbed out watching as he locked his car and let them both inside his house.

They both settled down on his couch and sighed contentedly. The body farm had been a great success; Grissom patted himself on his shoulder at his choice of destination. It had been his idea to broach the subject of their first date, it had been a month and a half since Jordan had received the divorce papers and there was still no sign of him signing them. He knew that Sara was on edge; he had promised her that he would sign them, but obviously the break up had hit him hard and he had put his foot down being the stubborn bastard Grissom knew he would be.

He had wanted to see Sara smile again, the way her mouth would turn up, her teeth would show and her eyes would crinkle, he found her absolutely adorable.

"Sooo…have you got any decent movies here?"

He turned his head and held her gaze with his. "Depends on what you consider to be a decent movie."

"Hmm." Sara got off the couch and started to thumb through his DVD titles. There were a few silent movies but Sara was in the mood to snuggle and in order to snuggle she needed a snuggelish movie. She continued to thumb through the titles when one caught her eye.

"When A Man Loves A Woman?"

She turned and smiled at his red face, blushing in embarrassment.

"It's not mine. It's Catherine's she uh…left it here a while ago. I keep forgetting to return it to her."

He looked at her; he felt his face burning up as she watched him. She was silently laughing at his choice in movies.

He had asked Catherine if he could borrow it several months back, she had given him a confused look and handed him the DVD the next shift. He had forgot he still had it. "I take it you want to watch that then?"

Sara nodded and slipped the DVD inside his player and pressed play. Snuggling into his side she rubbed her nose against his neck. His unique smell invading her senses and somehow arousing her.

They watched the movie in silence, both staring at the screen and thinking back to Sara's DUI.

Sara knew that it had been a stupid idea to drive home after having a drink on an empty stomach. She had seen too many crime scenes' involving an intoxicated driver. But something that night hadn't clicked and she'd been foolish enough to set off for home.

She knew Grissom would be pissed when he got the phone call alerting him to her stupid mistake, but when he had sat down next to her and held her hand is his larger one, her heart had melted. He hadn't shouted or screamed or told her that he was disappointed, he had drove her home and taken her up the few flights of stairs in her building and had made sure she was tucked up in bed before he left.

Ever since that night she had vowed to herself that it would never happen again, that drink wouldn't get in the way of her life or work.

Soon enough the movie finished and Sara fished the DVD out of the player and put it back into its case. She sat next to Grissom and watched his face, his blank expression confusing her.

"Griss…what's wrong?"

He turned and looked into her eyes. Lowering his mouth to her he kissed her, his lips making soft contact with hers. It would have been classed as a chaste kiss if Sara hadn't pulled his face closer and opened her mouth up to him.

Their tongues mingled with each other, Grissom groaned, as he tasted her over and over again. Every time he tried to pull away he was held back, it was like an addiction, he couldn't get enough of those soft, soft lips.

Eventually they had to pull apart when air was much needed. They breathed hard for several seconds and continued to assault each other's lips.

He took her bottom lip between his and sucked it, her moan of delight sent waves of electricity down to his now semi erect member. She was turning him on so much right now he knew if they didn't stop soon he wouldn't be able to stop at all. Even the simple art of kissing was proving to be too much for him right now.

Reluctantly he pulled away, Sara moaned at the loss of contact and opened her eyes. She watched him as he breathed hard and smiled softly. "God honey, you taste so good."

She moved her face to his neck, her soft quick breaths tickling him. Her tongue sneaked out and tasted him. He shuddered as he felt both her lips and tongue on his neck.

"Sara…Sara. If you don't stop now sweetheart I won't be able to help myself."

She smiled against his neck and gave it one last peck. Sitting up straight she looked into his eyes and gave him one of her special smiles and slowly lowered her lips onto his again. This time the kiss was slow and sensual. Grissom's tongue worked its way inside her mouth and proceeded to taste her everywhere.

One he was finished their tongues met in a slow dance. This was how it was meant to be, soft and slow. It was perfect.

Sara sat up and straddled Grissom's thighs on his couch, continuing to kiss him. He groaned at the contact, her heat radiating off of her and grinding into his excitement. They both knew it was too early to go any further, but moving from each other was extremely hard. Every time Sara tried to lift her lips from his, her mind would go blank as to the reason for doing so.

Slowly the kisses became quick pecks and stopped altogether. Both breathing heavily, Grissom brushed a stray strand of hair from Sara's face and kissed her nose.

"I don't think you understand how much I need you Sara."

"Hopefully, you need me as much as I need you, maybe more."

He nodded and snuggled his bearded cheek against her neck, sniffing her lightly. She smelled sweet like candy but extremely feminine like fresh flowers.

"I lie awake at night thinking how close I came to losing you forever. Sara, God…please don't leave."

Sara looked at the man that held her heart. This was the man few rarely got to see. His eyes seemed a tad too glassy, his face pinched in fear. He needed reassurance that she wouldn't ever leave him, that this time she was here to stay.

"Gil, I'll never leave you." She cradled his face in both her hands. "I love you. I'm never going to let you go"

What sounded like a sob escaped from Grissom's throat as he pulled Sara into a tight embrace. She felt his form shaking, whispering her name over and over again like a mantra into her hair.

"Sara honey. I love you too."

Sara smiled and continued to hold Grissom. Finally, they were headed in the right direction.

_TBC.._

* * *

_Wow, was that a bit corny? Mmm, I'm going to try and update this within the next couple of days, I also need to update Unknown Legend. Thank you for all of the reviews so far, they make my day. Remember…_

_Review_

_Review_

_Review!_


	8. Chapter 8

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one.._

**A/N: **_Wow, I was quick on the mark, another chapter posted in the matter of days. I must be getting good at this whole updating lark. Thank you for all your reviews, I take them very seriously and they mean so much. So here's chapter eight for all you fans out there!_

* * *

If there was one thing that Sara Sidle detested in life it was being told what to do. Not that she had anything against taking orders, but there was a point where orders became pointless and this was one of those times.

She had decided that the best thing to do was go looking for another apartment. It wasn't that she wasn't happy living with Grissom, but she of all people knew that Gil Grissom needed his space. It was one thing to have someone stay a few days, maybe a couple of weeks at the most, but two months was pushing it.

She hadn't told Grissom she was looking for an apartment, she was independent, she could do it by herself and she really didn't need his input. She would be living there, not him.

One by one her homebuyers magazines stacked up. Light reading she had told herself. And that is exactly what it had been. She had taken interest in a few apartments that were for sale online and decided that the next move would be to make appointments to view the apartments.

She had made her appointments and then decided that the best plan of action was to tell Grissom what she was doing, that she would probably be out of his hair within the next few weeks at the most. What she didn't bargain for was Grissom's reaction to her news. He had turned something small into a big issue, and now they were arguing like it was one of the biggest decisions Sara would make in her life.

"Look Gil, it's an apartment not plastic surgery. I know the ins and outs of this stuff. I don't see what the big problem is."

Grissom was upset, that she could tell. His eyes had turned from their normal clear blue to an almost grey, his eyes forming slits and his mouth in a tight line.

"I don't have a problem Sara, you buying or renting an apartment isn't necessary…this is your home."

Sara sighed and walked past Grissom, fiddling with the coffee pot she brewed a fresh pot of coffee and turned round. At that moment she had needed something to do. Grissom was frustrating her to a point where she knew she would either shout at him or injure him.

"This isn't my home Gil. This is _your_ home. I've stayed longer than I should have done, me getting an apartment is another stage of getting on with life. Our relationship is already strained as it is."

Grissom's face turned pale, his eyes searching her face for an answer. "W-what do you mean? You're…leaving me?"

Sara sighed and walked over to where he was standing. His posture was tense and his body was rigid with fear. She looked into his fear stricken eyes and framed his face with her hands, softly rubbing his bearded cheeks.

"Oh babe…I'm not leaving you! I'm giving you your space back."

"I don't _need_ my space anymore…I need you."

Sara smiled and kissed his nose. "For someone with communication problems…you do pretty well."

She bent down to his face and lowered her lips on his, kissing him briefly.

"Grissom, you might not need your space but I do. We're going to see each other every day anyway…"

"That's not the point I'm trying to make Sara!"

Sara crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him icily. "Well then _Grissom, _what point ARE you trying to make?"

He started pacing the floor of his living room mumbling ever so slightly.

"I don't see the point in you getting an apartment when you can live here, it's going to happen anyway what's the point in prolonging it?"

"What's going to happen?"

Grissom stamped his feet like a little child and sighed. "You moving in here! It's what couple's normally do!"

Sara stared at him in disbelief and shook her head almost forcefully. She did not just hear right! He didn't want her getting an apartment because he wanted her to move in with him?

"I'm not moving in with you anytime soon Grissom."

"W-what? Why not?"

"Why not? Because I've just came out of a relationship. I've been living with someone for a year and a half!"

Grissom almost threw himself down on his sofa and let out a long breath. He rubbed his face and let out a bitter laugh.

"Whatever I try and do…it'll never be enough because it all comes back to him. I'm not him Sara, I didn't try and deny this just to gain your trust again and then go and sleep with another woman."

"I didn't say that Gil! Christ! What the fuck is it with you? What, you don't want to let me out of your site in case some young hunky guy comes on to me, or a guy hands me his number? That's life!"

"Sara…"

Quickly finding her boots she put them on and buttoned the coat she pulled from its hanger. "Don't! I don't want to hear it!"

The slam of the door echoed in Grissom's dreams for five days. Five days and she still hadn't returned to his Townhouse, he had left numerous messages on her phone and none had been answered.

When at work she made sure that she got the solo cases, instead of Grissom punishing Sara the tables had turned and now Sara was punishing Grissom.

In all honesty he didn't think he had done anything wrong. He had questioned her motives as to finding another apartment, when in fact she had a perfectly good home where she was. He didn't want her to move, he wanted her to share his life.

He sat in his office staring at the paperwork that had built up within the first few hours of the shift. He sighed and rubbed his weary eyes and tried not to think about Sara. She would come back in her own time.

_That's IF she comes back Gil_

She would come back…wouldn't she? All her belongings were at his Townhouse, she would need to come back to get them. A low groan rumbled from Grissom's throat as his hand rumbled through one of his many drawers. He could feel a migraine coming on and the best thing to do was take his medication now. He didn't need sent home halfway through the shift.

After swallowing one of his pills dry he threw the bottle back in the drawer it came from and looked up to come face to face with a very angry Catherine.

"I cannot believe you Gil!"

Throwing herself unceremoniously into one of his chairs she shook her head at him not masking her disappointment. He felt like a small child being told off from it's mother.

"What the hell has gotten into you? I just had a VERY nice chat with Sara. She told me everything and then broke down into tears. How could you be so stupid?"

"What? Where is she?"

Catherine blew her hair from her face. "Don't worry, Nicky is with her. You've messed up big time Gil."

Grissom's gaze lowered to his desk as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I didn't mean to upset her Cath. I just thought it was stupid, her getting an apartment when she was fine living with me."

Catherine's eyes softened lightly as she moved to sit on the edge of the chair. "Gil…you've been dating what? Two weeks?"

"Yes, but I don't see what that has to – "

"It's too early. Sara doesn't want to make the same mistake she did with Jordan. Do you remember how quickly they shacked up together? And now look…a broken marriage and unsigned divorce papers. She doesn't want to get hurt again."

Grissom slammed his fist on his desk rattling the contents on it. "I'm not him! I've told her that already. I may have hurt her in the past but now I'm trying to do the right thing! It's not easy for me Cath, but I'm trying! I may have wasted time in the past…but I don't want to waste anymore time. I need her…"

Grissom's voice became nothing but a whisper as the anger drained from him into self-pity. He was feeling sorry for himself, something that Gil Grissom didn't do often.

"Do you know where she's been for the past five days?"

Catherine looked at him and smiled softly. "She's been bunking with Nick. That little stunt you pulled really shook her up."

Grissom nodded and fiddled with a file on his desk. "Do you know if she wants to…see me?"

"Go and speak to her Gil. She's in the locker room…pull yourself out of asshole mode and show her that you care."

Grissom nodded again and got up to leave; turning back he smiled softly at Catherine. "Thank you."

_XxXxXxX_

Sara was huddled on one of the benches; Nick sat next to her whispering something that Grissom couldn't make out. He looked at them both as he entered and stood next to Sara.

Nick looked up and Gave Grissom a hard stare and squeezed Sara's shoulder. Standing up he walked over to Grissom and spoke in low tones. "Can I see you for a minute Boss?"

"Sure Nick."

Both men walked over to the shower cubicles, Nick stopped and stared at Grissom pointedly. "You know what kind of shit Sara has been through these past few months, we're lucky she hasn't broke under all the stress and pain and now you pull your shit when she needs you. She's hurting, and she needs you to help her through this, not blow up over silly things."

"I know Nick."

"I'm not a violent guy Griss, but you hurt her again and I promise…I'll hurt you."

Grissom nodded. "You're a good friend Nick."

Nick gave Grissom one last look and walked back to where Sara sat. He bent down and hugged her and whispered something in her ear. Gave her one last hug and walked out of the locker room.

Grissom took a deep breath and walked over to Sara, he slowly sat down next to her on the bench and looked at her. Her face was sticky with drying tears her eyes were red. Her face set in a frown.

"Sara…"

"If you've came here to give me another lecture as to how it's a bad idea to get myself an apartment don't waste your breath."

Grissom took hold of her hand and looked at her. "Honey, I'm here to apologise."

"For being an ass, for blowing the whole apartment thing out of proportion or for trying to say I was comparing you to Jordan?"

Grissom looked at the floor and gave her hand a squeeze. "Sara…I'm set in my ways, I can't change over night for you but I've been trying. What I said to you was out of line, I behaved like a child not getting it's own way. I'm sorry for everything honey."

Sara turned to look at him and lifted her free hand to rub his bearded cheek. "Well…at least that's a start."

Slowly their faces inched towards each other. Sara's arm made its way round Grissom's neck as their lips met. Grissom's tongue begged for entrance and Sara opened up willingly. Their tongues stroked each other as they each apologised in a more personal manner.

Pulling apart Grissom wiped the tears from her face and gave her lips another quick kiss. "We can go apartment hunting after shift."

Sara smiled, her gap showing. She ran her hands through Grissom's greying curls and laughed. "Sounds like a great idea."

**TBC**

* * *

_Yay another chapter finished! I promise another is on its way soon. I also promise that things are going to heat up in the next few chapters! Once again, reviews, suggestions AND criticisms greatly appreciated_.


	9. Chapter 9

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer:** _See chapter one.._

**A/N:** _Thank you for the wonderful reviews I apologise if chapter 8 was in any way out of character, it wasn't one of my best chapters I hope I have improved with this one.. Here's chapter 9 for you all._

* * *

"So, how's the apartment hunting going?" Nick gave Sara a sideways glance as he took the mould of a foot impression just outside their victim's bedroom window.

Sara sighed and continued to scrape some paint off the front door. It looked as if some object had been knocked against the door leaving paint imbedded in the wood. She turned around and frowned slightly at Nick.

"It's…"

Nick's brow rose as he waited for her answer.

"It's just so damned difficult trying to find an apartment this time around. When I first came here it was a case of getting the apartment closest to the Lab, but now it's a matter of what best suits me."

Nick nodded and looked down at his plaster cast impression. Smiling at his good work he waved it in the air for Sara to see.

"Good Nick, let's hope the shoe tread is in the database."

Sara got back to her work at hand and pursed her lips. It also didn't help that Grissom had tagged along and dismissed every apartment they had viewed. It was too big or too small, too roomy or too claustrophobic. They had viewed a total of five apartments and none of them were good enough by the end of the third day of viewing Sara was exhausted.

She scraped the remaining paint chips into a bindle and slid it into her vest pocket.

"I've only been looking for three days and already I'm ready to give up."

Nick smiled and walked over to her. "Don't let it get you down Sar. I'm sure Grissom isn't ready to kick you out…yet."

His little comment earned him a smack to the arm.

"On a serious note though Sara…how you doin? And don't give me that 'I'm fine' BS."

Sighing, she stood up and walked into the house with Nick to process the contents. How was she doing? She was holding up pretty good, she was pissed off with Jordan and his lack of mobility to get those damned divorce papers signed. Apart from that things were simmering down. She knew that once she found an apartment she would be fine.

"I'm good Nick. I'm getting there."

"You heard from Jordan yet? How long has it been since those divorce papers were sent?"

Sara scanned the room. "Too long."

The house was a complete mess, both inside and out. The garden hadn't been looked after; the un-kept grass had grown long enough that the garden could now be mistaken for a jungle. The paint from the house looked as if it had been crumbling away since day one, the Vegas heat not helping the house in any way.

Inside was worse, all the furniture had been tipped over, but that was the least of the owner's problems. There was food that looked to be months old scattered all over the place, take out cartons with there lids open attracting flies, rats and now maggots. Sara scrunched her nose up as she knocked one of the cartons over.

Nick gave Sara an amused glance and walked over to a pool of blood near the kitchen area. "Look's like his maid took a day off."

Sara frowned. "A day, more like a year. This place is disgusting…hasn't he ever heard of putting things in the trash?"

"Maybe he's a hoarder."

Sara raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Nick. "Yeah, I can see the appeal of hoarding fool till it's rotten, disgusting and smelling like a three week old decomp."

Sara shifted through the piles of trash and noticed something sparkling amidst the take out cartons. Carefully plucking the shiny object up she held it to the light. It was a ring; the Celtic design repeated itself all around making it a classy piece of jewellery. Sara looked inside the band and noticed a name inscribed on it.

_Susan_

"What you got there, Sar?"

Opening her case she took an evidence bag and dropped it in. Sealing it she passed it to a curious Nick.

"A ring?"

Sara nodded. "Yeah, it looks valuable too. What's it doing lying in a pile of month old take out?"

"Maybe the vic dropped it while struggling with his assailant."

Sara shrugged. "Maybe."

"Hey Sara, we've processed all we can here, let's take this evidence back to the Lab to log."

Sara nodded.

Back at the Lab Nick logged in the evidence while Sara went to the break room for a cup of well-deserved coffee. After being in the victim's house for over an hour she now smelled of old take out, and the smell wasn't pleasant. She walked in and smiled at Warrick, he looked at her, wrinkled his nose and hid a smirk.

"Is that…sweet and sour I smell?"

Sara poured herself a cup of coffee and tried her hardest to glare at Warrick, the end result was a gap toothed smile, flashed his way.

"Month old take out. How bad do I smell?"

Warrick sat back in his chair and eyed her humorously. "Um, a scale of one to ten, definitely a six."

Sara snorted. "It can't be THAT bad…"

Warrick's look made her brush a hand across her face and sigh. "Great, now I'm going to have to go shower. You think lemons would to the trick?"

"It works for everything else." Warrick stood up and crushed his polystyrene cup in his large hand and deftly threw it in the trashcan, the small thump echoed in the break room. "Well, as much as this was…um…fun, I have me a bad guy to catch. See you later girl."

"Later 'Rick."

Warrick slowly walked out of the break room and mumbled something to Grissom, which Sara couldn't hear. He walked into the break room and smiled at Sara, his smile slowly turning into a frown.

"Uh, what is that smell?"

"It's me okay? It's me!"

Grissom raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Sara's outburst and sat down next to her scrunching his nose. "Is that…take out I smell?"

"Yeah, fucking three month's worth of it. I reek don't I?"

Grissom slowly shook head and gave her a lopsided grin. "Have a nice warm shower and I'm sure you'll feel better afterwards, honey." His hand found hers under the table and he squeezed lightly.

_XxXxXxXxX_

After a long hot shower, Sara dressed in fresh clothes from her locker and made her way to the lay out room in search of Nick. She found him sifting through some of the garbage they had bagged. She watched him methodically put the plastic, paper and foreign substances in trays set around the table. He looked up from his searching and smiled at Sara.

"Hey."

"Hey Nick. Woa! Did you shower when you got back from the scene?"

Nick looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "Uh, no. Why?"

"You smell like rotting take out, that's why!"

Nick sniffed himself and scrunched his face up. "Aaaaaw man!"

Sara snapped on a pair of gloves and shooed him in the direction of the locker room. "Go shower and I'll continue doing this."

He looked at her and then back to the trash. "Go. Now!"

She watched him back out of the lay out room and briskly walk in the direction of the locker room. She turned hr gaze to the trash in front of her and started sifting through it.

A lot of what they had taken from the scene was exactly that, trash. Several-crumpled take out cartons lay in the paper tray. Shards of plastic, which looked to be from soda bottles were quickly deposited in the plastics tray and all the foreign material Sara had found now lay in front of her.

There was a blue button, small in size and dark in colour, along with three screws and a rubber band, nothing out of the ordinary. Sara sighed and leaned back in her chair. A house full of God only knows how old trash, over turned furniture, a dead body, a pool of blood and a ring with the name Susan inscribed on the inside of it. Nothing was adding up.

She closed her eyes and let the noise of the Lab take over, the ticking of the clock steady and almost soothing.

_Tick tock, tick tock._

She soon opened her eyes again and noticed Grissom standing in the doorway, his face a stoic mask.

"Shift finished fifteen minutes ago. Ready to go?"

Sara nodded her head. "Sure, let me tidy this away first."

_XxXxXxXxX_

Grissom let them into his Townhouse and dropped his keys on the kitchen counter. Sighing, he placed his brief case next to the door and hung his jacket on the rail. He watched as Sara walked to the sofa and dropped herself with a slight huff.

"I detest saliva, I can't stand decomps and I _hate_ trash."

He watched as she rubbed her eyes and ran her hands through her curly hair. Suddenly a warm feeling over come him as he watched her. She was sexy, sultry and god damned beautiful, he wanted to run his hands through those fantastic locks and breath in her aroma.

He moved to the couch and looked her in the eye; both willed the other to make the first move. Slowly, Grissom's head came down over hers; his tongue peaked out and outlined her luscious lips. She moaned at the contact and pressed herself against him.

He forced his way into her mouth, his solid tongue seeking entry to her sweet, hot mouth. Tongues mingled with each other, teeth crashed against each other and hands groped mercilessly.

The kiss was rough, hot and god damned sexy, both pulled away for a few seconds, breathing hard. Willing their lungs to fill with enough oxygen that they could kiss like that forever. They both knew it wasn't possible.

Mouths crashed against each other again as their hands greedily groped clothing and skin. Sara's shaking hands quickly unbuttoned Grissom's shirt as his hand found it's way underneath her top to cup one of her breasts. She moaned as she felt his thumb rub her nipple through the lacy fabric.

She finally undid his shirt, pulling it halfway off his back. He let go of her for a second to discard the shirt. As quickly as his hand left her skin and breast, it was back again with a vengeance. She arched her back as he undid her bra and cupped her bare breast.

He nipped and pinched until her nipples were hard. He pulled his hands from underneath her shirt and began to quickly undo the buttons. He pulled the shirt off her body and dropped it where his shirt now lay, along with her bra.

His hot mouth moved from her mouth to her neck, sucking a licking his way to her collar bone.

"Honey, uh…want you!"

Sara ran her hands through his greying curls, pulling his head tighter against her neck. She moaned as she felt him sucking and biting, willing to leave his mark on her.

She moved her hands down to his now tented slacks and rubbed her hand over the pulsating bulge. Grissom groaned against her neck, the vibrations set Sara off, her orgasm washing over her. She lay limp in his arms as he moved his mouth from her neck to her breasts. The nipples aching to be licked sucked and nibbled.

He tasted each one, sucking on it hungrily before moving onto the next one, moaning in satisfaction.

Sara moaned and writhed underneath him, arching every so often to get closer to him and his excitement.

"Griss uh! Gil! Need you inside me, now!"

Her voice broke though his lusty haze, he smiled against her breast and quickly undid her slacks, pushing them down her legs and yanking them off. He cupped her clothed mound and slid her panties down her legs to lie with her slacks. He inserted one finger into her slick heat, massaging her walls, her wails and moans urging him on to make her reach orgasm again.

Another finger entered her hot, hot tunnel, stroking and massaging as his thumb rubbed her clitoris. He smiled as she bucked up off the sofa, her body going rigid with pleasure. Quickly he pulled his slacks open, her hand found his member through his boxers and released him. His hot heavy cock, hard and smooth. She rubbed the head of it before guiding him to her opening. With one slick thrust he entered her, both of them moaning as he filled her completely.

Somewhere inside his lust riddled brain a voice told him to slow down and make love to her. But they had waited too long; right now this was about release. Pent up sexual frustration for six years. His thrusts gained tempo as he fucked her, his name was on her lips, she repeated it over and over again like a mantra. His thrusts gained momentum.

"God honey. Oh! Wanted you for…urgh, forever! Come for me sweetheart, Jesus Christ! Come for me!"

Sara's body went rigid, her eyes wide in shock as her orgasm hit her. White lights flashed behind her eyes lids as she closed them, the pleasure cocooning her. Grissom felt her contract around him, he thrust into her sloppily as his orgasm washed over him. His hot semen washing her vaginal walls as he came hard, her name groaned in pleasure from the back of his throat.

It had been leading up to this, since the day she had set foot in Vegas, since she had set foot in his life. Careful as to not squash her with his weight, he rolled them into a more comfortable position on his couch, he lay on his back, her head resting on his chest, he kissed her forehead.

Before they nodded off he heard her warm voice utter the three words that left him breathless.

"I love you."

**TBC**

* * *

_Wowzer, I didn't know I had it in me! Reviews, suggestions and criticisms greatly appreciated_.


	10. Chapter 10

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one…_

**A/N: **_Again thank you for the reviews, they mean so much. Here's another update, hope you all enjoy, please don't forget to review. Thank you._

* * *

Sara Sidle had never been much of a sleeper. Ever since a child, a fitful sleep is what Sara had come to class as normal. Things didn't get any better as she worked her way up the CSI ladder, the more experienced she got the worse the cases got. She empathised with the victims and in her dreams the victims empathised with her. Both their screams mingling with each other always caused Sara to wake up in panic, her sweat drenched body shivering as she tried to will the nightmare to go away.

In the arms of Gil Grissom, nothing could hurt her.

She slept peacefully, as Grissom held her close to his inviting body. The heat of his bulky frame cocooning Sara, in a blanket of warmth. She nuzzled his bare chest as her dream washed over her. The pleasant moan from her throat bringing a small smile to Grissom's lips.

This is how life with Sara should have always been.

He watched her closely; sleep hadn't come to him after Sara's admission. She loved him. Sara Sidle _loved_ him. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting it sink in for a moment. Ever since Sara had moved to Vegas, he had been a bastard towards her. He had led her on, and then let her down. He had refused flatly an invitation to change his life for the better, and in the end she had tried her best to forget about him and move on. He still blamed himself for pushing Sara to marry Jordan, if he had let his feelings come first instead of the silly notion that his job meant more to him, they wouldn't be in the position they were in now.

For all he knew, if he had accepted her dinner invitation, or asked her out himself, they could me married now, with a child or children, but his own selfishness had caused them so much hurt that it felt right to try and move on. Well, no more.

He needed Sara in his life, more than she could possibly imagine. He knew that the day he had gone to her house had been the last straw; he was on the brink of a breakdown. He could remember how every waking moment she had been in his thoughts, her voice, her smile, her passion. When he went to sleep it was no different. She had plagued his dreams, on several occasions he had woken up to find that he had ejaculated through a lust filled dream.

Now he had her, needed her…loved her and there was no way he was going to let her go.

Sara shifted slightly and opened her chocolate brow eyes, watching Grissom as he stared into nothingness; he was obviously deep in thought. She rubbed his chest lightly and smiled as he looked into her eyes and gave hr a soft squeeze.

"Hey..." Her sensual whisper was music to his ears.

"Hey there. Did you have a nice sleep?"

She snuggled into him and kissed his shoulder. "Mmhmm."

"Good."

They held one another for what felt like hours. Small kisses were placed here and there, whispers of affection floated through the air.

Sara's hand rubbed Grissom's chest in small circular motions. "Gil."

"Yeah?"

She sat up and looked into his blue orbs. His gaze was on her and nothing else.

"I think I'm going to give up on the apartment hunting."

He watched her as she stared at his lips. "Honey, are you sure? I don't want you to feel pressured into staying here because of what happened."

"And what did happen?"

He looked at her, his face beginning to redden.

"Gil, it's okay to say that we fucked. What happened wasn't about love back then, it was about our need for each other, to release this pent up sexual tension."

He nodded and held her tightly, his hand rubbing her arm up and down, trying to warm the goose pimpled flesh.

Sara reached up and cupped his bearded cheek in her hand; she raised her mouth to his and softly kissed his chapped lips.

He looked at her under lust filled eyes and arched an eyebrow. "What was that for?"

"Because I love you."

There, she had said it again, only this time she was awake and fully aware of what she was saying. She looked up into Grissom's face and gave him a soft smile. He smiled back.

"I…love you too."

Her smile turned into one of her toothy grins as she reached up to bring his lips to hers again. This time she slipped her tongue inside his mouth and began caressing the rough muscle. He moaned in her mouth as he opened up more, their mouths clashing as there arousal hit it's peak.

"Bedroom." Sara whispered, as she felt his hand gliding along her stomach and between her now wet thighs.

He hoisted her up in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. Sara was too aroused by this show of manliness to giggle at the situation, instead she moaned as he softly laid her on his bed. She took in the site of him naked. His strong powerful arms and his broad masculine chest. She stared for a moment at his erection. He was aroused, that she could tell. His member twitching ever so lightly in the cool sanctuary of his bedroom. She smiled as she remembered the feel of him, buried so deep inside of her. A moan escaped her lips.

He grinned at her as he covered her body with his and kissed her, licking her bottom lip and kneading her breast. She needed him and he most certainly needed her, this time it was all about them. Making love, showing each other by physical means how much they each meant to one another.

She felt his erection press into her folds; ever so lightly he entered the head of his penis into her slick tunnel.

"Ooooh, God. Gil, we didn't oooh use anything…uuuhhh before."

He kissed her slowly and moved from her body for a moment. She opened her eyes only to find him back in an instant, a foil packet half concealed in the palm of his hand.

She plucked it from his grasp and tore it open, sheathing his hard member. He lay on top of her again, this time instantly entering her. Both moaned at the contact.

"Sara honey, LOVE the way you feel. Mmm."

He began to thrust slowly into her, the feeling of being inside her almost too much. He had to hold back, he needed to bring Sara to orgasm. They quickly got into a slow sensual rhythm, his thrusts filling her, her need for him to be inside her more quickly elevated her level of arousal.

He could feel her slowly tightening around him as he pumped a little quicker into her. He gasped in surprise as he felt her hands on his ass, trying to pull him further in.

"Gil..oooh babe, I'm so close…soooo clooooo- uuhhhh"

Sara's orgasm washed over her like a tsunami, her body arching off the bed in pleasure. He gasped for air as she felt Grissom thrust into her several more times, gasping her name. Finally she felt him stiffen, as he pumped his way through his orgasm.

He kissed her slowly and rolled on his back, bringing her with him. He sighed in contentment and brushed a few sweaty strands of hair from her face.

"Sara, I love you so much."

"Mmm, I love you too babe."

He quickly discarded of the condom and slipped back under the covers, holding Sara's warm body against his, finally drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

Sara was the first to wake, the familiar ache between her thighs bringing a smile to her dry lips. She watched Grissom sleeping for a while, his face relaxed. He looked boyish. She kissed his lips softly and got up to shower. She looked at her reflection in his bathroom mirror and smiled. She looked like a pleasured woman.

Grinning, she quickly had a shower and brushed her teeth. She slipped clean clothes on and made her way to the kitchen to put some coffee on.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee wakened Grissom. He slowly stretched and sighed as he felt the burn of muscles that hadn't been used in a while. He slipped on a pair of clean boxers and followed the smell of the coffee that was now enticing him.

The sight of Sara Sidle making coffee in the morning still amused him to no end. He watched her as she poured two cups and hummed to herself.

"Hey you."

Startled she turned around quickly and playfully glared at him.

"You shouldn't be up. I was just about to bring you some coffee."

He grinned. "Well, I'm here now."

They both sat down and lovingly stared at each other. Grissom sipped his coffee and began to frown.

"Gil, what's wrong?"

He looked up from the cup that had held his concentration and shrugged.

"Last night…we…we didn't use anything the first time round."

"Yeah, and unfortunately I'm not on the pill."

He slowly licked his lips. "So there could be a chance you could fall pregnant."

She nodded slowly. "A slight chance. I don't think it's anything to worry about."

He nodded this time and reached over to hold her hand in his. "I love you."

"I love you too, Gil."

He smiled. "As many times that you say that, it'll never grow old."

They both sipped their coffee leisurely, stealing glances here and there.

"There's only a couple of hours till work, I'm going to go shower, get dressed and spend some quality time with my woman."

Sara grinned. "Woman? You going all cave man on me Gil?"

He laughed. "Maybe."

He gave her a slow sweet kiss on her lips and waddled off to go have his shower. Sara smiled as she watched him and shook her head in amazement.

"I've just made love to Gil Grissom."

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer: **_See chapter one.._

**A/N: **_I can't seem to help notice that the reviews are dwindling down. If there's something you think I could do that could improve my fics, don't hesitate to tell me so, even if it's a short note to tell me you enjoy this story. Thanks to the people who have reviewed so far. Here's chapter 11._

* * *

Grissom stood in Sara's spacious shower, head bent, eyes closed as he concentrated on the small hot droplets that pounded his back.

He sighed. Right now life was perfect, too perfect.

He was waiting for the moment that Sara would open her eyes, notice his flaws and leave him right on the spot. He wasn't perfect or young, his temper got the better of him sometimes and there were the days he was a moody son of a bitch. Could Sara stick by him, through thick and thin, the good times and the bad times and still feel so strongly for him?

He opened his eyes and wiped away the water droplets that now clung to his eyelashes impairing his vision. Picking up the bar of soap Sara used to wash herself with everyday, he began to scrub his skin clean. The clean smell of soap filling the shower stall, making him smile lightly.

Love, was an emotion that he had thought he could never possess. Men like he, men that lived for their work that concentrated on their career rather than relationships didn't get the woman of their dreams. Didn't get the chance to snuggle up beside her and be able to tell her that they loved her. But he now got the chance to do all the things he dreamed of. Love was a powerful thing, and it had captured Gil Grissom when he had least expected it.

He washed his hair quickly wanting to finish the shower, get dressed and spend some time with Sara before their shift started. She was like an obsession, something he now couldn't let go of.

He rinsed his hair and shut the shower off. After drying himself he slipped on a pair of clean boxers and began laying out the clothes he would be wearing to work. Just then, Sara slipped her head through the door and smiled shyly at him.

"Wow, that was a quick shower." She slowly walked into his bedroom and sat on the edge of his bed watching him as he dressed.

"The less time I spend in the shower, the more time I get to spend with you."

"I like the way you think, bugman."

He buttoned his shirt up slowly, his eyes never leaving Sara's. Her face flushed red as he slipped his pants on and sat down next to her. He leaned over and kissed her parted lips softly.

Pulling back he looked into her eyes, blue orbs staring back at beautiful brown eyes. He smiled and brushed his hand through her curls.

If every day were to start like this, he would be a happy man.

"How about I make us something quick to eat, I'm starving."

Sara smirked and nodded her head. "Sure, that sounds great.

They ate in comfortable silence; glances were stolen when one thought that the other wasn't looking. They would share a smile and continue to munch away on their food.

Becoming intimate was the last hurdle for them; he had kissed her on several occasions, made out with her a handful of times and they had fucked frantically once and made love once. They were sure that very soon the numbers would grow, and so would the memories.

Grissom's mind shifted to Sara's husband, the icing on the cake would be for him to finally sign the damned divorce papers and let Sara get on with her life. He had promised months ago over the phone that everything would be alright and yet here they were, waiting frantically for the guy to grow up and move on. Sara noticed a change in Grissom's expression and pursed her lips.

"Gil, what's wrong?"

He looked up in surprise and shook his head at her question. He didn't want to bring it up now, they had had a lovely evening, he didn't want to spoil their good mood with the mention of Jordan.

"Nothing honey, just thinking."

Sara looked at him disbelievingly and nodded. "Spit it out Gil, something is obviously bothering you."

He sighed and ran his hand through his drying curls. "Jordan."

Sara put her fork down and folded her hands in her lap. "What about him?"

"Aren't you worried that he hasn't signed those divorce papers yet?"

She shrugged. "He said he'd sign them, maybe he's been busy."

"It's been months Sara. It doesn't bother you at all that he hasn't contacted you to tell you that he's been busy, or something important has cropped up."

Sara stood up from the table and put her plate in the sink, turning the tap on to shower the plate with a cold burst of water. She watched as the water ran down the drain.

"He's never been organised, ever since I've known him he's always been late at posting something or trying to finish a job at work. It's the way he is. Don't worry, he'll sign them."

Grissom got up from the table and watched as her shoulders tensed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his chin on the curve of her shoulder. "Honey, I want to see you happy, that's all."

She turned and looked into his eyes. "Gil. I _am_ happy."

He nodded and kissed her lips, she opened up willingly and depend the kiss. He moaned into her mouth, their tongues duelling. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, mimicking the movements of how he would move while inside of her, making love to her.

She pulled back and laid a finger on his swollen lips. "If we don't stop now, we'll be late for work."

He nodded and lightly kissed her lips. "I know, I'm sorry, you're just irresistible."

She laughed and pulled away from his embrace. "Come on, we better go. Wouldn't want my supervisor to catching me coming in late."

She walked to his front door and looked over her shoulder, giving him a teasing smile.

Yes, life right now was definitely perfect.

_XxXxXxXxX_

"Hey Sara."

Sara looked up from her reading and smiled at Nick.

"Brass has just informed me that earlier on today a Susan Peter's came forward to give him some information on Mr I like to hoard take out's death."

"Susan? That was the name that was inscribed on the inside of that ring we found." She quickly found the photograph and showed it to Nick. His raised his eyebrows and looked at Sara.

"You think maybe this Susan has something to do with this guys death?"

Sara looked at Nick and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe. Did she say if she knew him at all?"

Nick sat down next to her. "She gave Brass our victim's name and age, and how our guy was messed up in drugs."

"Drugs, we found no drug paraphernalia at his house. Did she say how she knew the guy?"

"Said she was a neighbour."

Sara's eyes crinkled as she went over what was said to Brass in her head. If she were a neighbour, then that could explain why her ring was in his house, but it didn't explain how it got there. She looked up at Nick and smiled.

"I think we need to chat a bit more in depth with this Susan Peter's.

_XxXxXxXxX_

Susan Peter's was a petite blonde with a chubby face. Her make-up she had applied was a barest minimum of foundation, blusher and a little lip-gloss. She looked every one of her forty-seven years. She sat in the interrogation room with a small frown on her face, nursing a cup of cheap coffee from the machine down the hall.

She looked up as Nick and Sara smiling at her.

"Ms Peter's?"

Nick and Sara sat down and watched as she nervously nodded her head.

"Yeah, what am I doin here? I told that Detective all there was to tell."

Sara sat forward. "Um, there a few things you told Detective Brass that didn't add up, we're here to try and sort out the confusion."

She looked at Nick and fluttered her eyelashes a little. "You sure don't look like a cop."

Nick tried to hide a grin. "We're not Ma'am, we're crime scene investigators."

"Crime scene whaaa? Why you interviewin me then if you ain't cops?

Sara looked at the confused woman and smiled. "We gather evidence, and normally that evidence help's us find out what happened in cases such as these. Now from what you told Detective Brass, our evidence doesn't add up to what you told him."

Susan cocked an eyebrow and stared hard at Sara. "What you mean 'your evidence doesn't add up to what I told that detective'? I wasn't lying! That Gary was a junkie! All his junkie buddies goin' in and out, bringing the neighbourhood down."

"Well, the thing is Ms Peter's, we didn't find any drug paraphernalia inside Mr Jones house."

Susan sipped her now cold coffee and made a face. "Maybe his murderer took it with him."

Sara nodded. "Possibly. Ms Peter's…were you ever inside Mr Jones house?"

She shook her head frantically. "No way! Never been in that dump, we were never close anyways for him to invite me in."

"This is where our evidence doesn't collaborate with what you've told us. We found a gold Celtic ring in amongst the rubbish that was strewn about Mr Jones house. The name Susan has been inscribed on the inside of the band."

Sara pushed a photograph across the table for Ms Peter's to look at.

"That's my ring! Why you think he has my ring?"

Nick gave her an incredulous look. "You never knew it was missing?" He looked at her hands, noticing a white band around her index finger. "I can't help notice that you have a tan line on your finger Ms Peter's from where the ring usually sits."

She looked at her finger and gaped at the criminalist's. "I..uh, lost it a couple of days ago. He must have stolen it."

Sara looked at the woman and frowned. "Did you kill Mr Jones?"

Susan Peter's started crying, softly at first, louder and harder as the sobbing continued. "I never meant to kill him! I wanted to scare him. His house stank, all that stupid take out cartons everywhere, I'm surprised he wasn't ill with the smell. I warned him to clean up his act, he was bringing the neighbourhood down and I was getting the blame, I'm in charge of the neighbourhood watch programme. People were frightened of him, that he'd pass diseases onto others." She sniffed and blotted her eyes with a tissue she had taken out of her bag. "I went to his house, asked if I could talk to him. When I got in, there was rubbish all around, I was nearly sick. I told him he had to clean up, that he was a danger to the community. He laughed in my face. I…took a pan to his head. He fell down and wouldn't move. I took the cooking pan with me and left, I didn't think anybody would notice he wasn't around."

"Why didn't you contact someone who could deal with the problem?"

Susan looked at both Nick and Sara and began to cry again.

"I just wanted to clean up the neighbourhood!"

_XxXxXxXxX_

Catherine Willows had known Grissom for a very long time, he had helped her through good times and bad times and he had always been there for her. But she knew as of lately they had grown apart.

She knew that Grissom taking Sara in would result in something drastic happening between them and she had been right, something had OBVIOUSLY changed. A smiling Gil Grissom wasn't something you seen every day and she knew who had put that smile on his face.

She watched him as he tried to hide the large smile. He knew that if she seen him like that it was obvious he would give something away. He was a private man, but something about Catherine Willow's always made him spill his secrets.

He shuffled his paperwork about trying to look as if he were a little busy at least, sighing he sat back in his chair and grinned.

"Now I know something _definitely _happened after shift."

Surprised, he looked up and saw Catherine standing at the entrance of his office with a goofy smile of her own on her lips. Busted.

"Catherine, just because someone smiles doesn't mean something _happened_ to put that smile on their face."

She sat down and grinned at him. "Gil Grissom NEVER smiles. I know who put that smile on your face."

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow and watched as Catherine blew hair out of her face. "A certain lanky brunette that goes by the name of…Sara Sidle."

He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding in and shrugged.

"Is it that obvious?"

Catherine smirked at him. "That you got laid? Hell yeah."

Grissom face brightened at the mention of getting laid, he sat up and again began to shuffle paperwork around.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Gil. Later is better than never."

"I'm not ashamed…just embarrassed. I can't believe I'm that transparent."

Catherine sighed and watched him. He had changed and for the better. Six months ago she had been worried about him, everyone had been. He had been quieter than usual, he didn't attend so many autopsies and he was easily rattled. She had been sure he was close to a break down. It had hit him hard when he learned that Sara was getting married.

He had phoned her up one night, a complete mess. It had been obvious by his slurred speech that he had been drinking. He had rattled on about how it was too late, how he had finally lost Sara and then the tears started. She had calmed him down over the phone and promised that she would come over before shift the next day.

That had been a scary moment for her.

But now he seemed to be him old self again, he was almost…cheery. A happy Grissom was a fun Grissom to be around.

"Gil, please don't mess this up."

He looked into her eyes and then down to his desk. Something was bothering him.

"What's up?"

"I don't want to hurt her Cath, but I'm afraid that I will, that I'm not enough for her and soon she'll realise that and…leave me."

"Oooh Gil! Sara would never leave you. You have to get past all these insecurities and enjoy yourself. This is new to you, there are going to be times when you piss her off and you don't understand what you said or did, and there are going to be times when you make her laugh and smile. Those are the things that will make you feel alive. You deserve happiness Gil, and so does Sara. Just love her…that's all you can do."

Grissom smiled. "Wow Cath, I never knew you had it in you."

She got up from her seat and stood next to his door. "I'm a woman of many talents." And with that, she was gone.

**TBC**


	12. Chapter 12

**We All Fall Down**

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one..

**A/N:** _Right,i'd like to thank jtbwriter, I took their advice, this chapter sorts out the whole divorce papers dilemma and getting rid of Jordan…once and for all. Thank you for everyone who has reviewed so far and I apologise for the short chapter._

* * *

"You ready to go?" 

Sara stood in his office doorway, her arms folded, her head tilted to the side, an amused grin on her face. She had been watching him for several minutes, the way his eyebrow would arch in concentration as he read over files and signed them at the bottom. He really was adorable, and he didn't even know it.

He looked up and gave her a quick smile, his hand scribbling his name across the bottom of the last file on his desk. Sighing in pure joy at finishing his paperwork, he sat back and waved for Sara to come in.

She sat down and pushed a stray bit of hair from her face. Truth be told, she didn't know how he would react at what she had to tell him. Her hands became sweaty and started fiddling with her sweater, trying to find something to do. "There's something I think you should know.

Grissom pursed his lips, sat forward in his chair and nodded for Sara to continue.

"It's time for me to erase Jordan from my life totally. I know it bothers you, technically in the eyes of the law we're still married. I want to put an end to that. I want us to start our new life together, without any problems."

Grissom stared at her for a second and deeply inhaled the much needed oxygen.

"Riiiight…"

She bit her bottom lip and looked away for a second, trying to organise her thoughts.

"I called him today."

Grissom's gaze felt as if it were burning a hole through her head. The sheer power of the look he was giving her made her heart lurch in her chest.

"He agreed to meet me. I'm meant to be meeting him in an hour. I'll listen to whatever excuses he has, I'll get him to sign the papers and then I'll leave."

Grissom fiddled with the pen that lay on his desk, his fingers rolling it between the palms of his hand. Inside there was a sense of victory, he felt as if he could smell it. From today onwards, Sara would be his. No husband, to past holding them back, just the future. This is what it truly felt like to be happy. A slow warmth filling him from head to toe, soothing him and his weary mind.

He knew Sara wouldn't want his company; she needed to do this by herself. To free herself from whatever constraints she felt she was in. He didn't want to hold her back; he wanted her to be happy. This was a battle she had to fight on her own.

"Okay, do what you have to."

Sara's eyes widened at his response. "You're not upset?"

He shook his head. "Why would I be upset? You're going there to show him that he hasn't won. You have. I understand your need to do this honey, I'm right behind you, all the way."

He smiled and stood up from his desk. "Come on, I'll make you breakfast before you leave."

With a nod, they were gone.

_XxXxXxXxX_

_He hasn't changed one bit. _Was her first initial thought as she entered the small diner. He still looked worse for wear, shaggy in certain places. He noticed her straight away and waved her over to the table.

She felt a bit apprehensive, if she had to be nasty about this, then she would be. She wanted to sort this shit out once and for all and rid herself of the brutal past. She was a strong woman, she didn't suffer fools gladly and she definitely didn't let anyone walk all over her. From an early age she had learned to stick up for herself, if she didn't, nobody else would.

In the foster home, Jenny Miller had picked on her from day one. There had been the taunts and the nasty comments. There had been the attitude and then the name-calling. But Jenny, one day went too far. She had told everyone about the death of Sara's father, the gruesome tale of how her mother, in a fit of rage had stabbed him so many times, his body wasn't recognisable. Talk about exaggerating the facts.

Sara had stayed strong through all of the bullying until that single moment, where the room was silent. Jenny Miller with a look of amusement on her face as the younger children gasped. She had smiled at Sara, a smile that held little remorse.

Sara Sidle snapped.

She had pulled Jenny from the couch by her hair, and repeatedly pounded her face in with her small bare fists. Each blow was for each time she had said something nasty, or shouted some lewd disgusting word her way. If Jenny Miller hadn't regretted the way she had treated Sara, well she did now.

The fight had been broken up rather quickly, but not before some damage had been done. Jenny Miller's beautiful Barbiesque face resembled raw meat. Sara had burst her lip open, broken her nose and left her with a black eye that she sported for over a week.

Nobody from that day on in the foster home had said anything out of line towards Sara. A newfound respect found it's way around all the children.

It was in positions like these, when she knew that someone was trying to make a fool of her that she thought of Jenny Miller, and the rage would begin to seep out through her pores. There was no time for pleasantries; Sara had a job to do.

"Babe."

She looked at him with cold brown eyes and stiffly sat down opposite him.

"I didn't ask you to come here for idle chit chat. Did you take the papers like I asked?"

He nodded. "I did." He reached up from below the table and laid the papers on the table. Sara's eyes instinctively went to them.

"Good. Now you don't have an excuse not to sign them. Do you have a pen?"

"Sara…we don't have to do this."

She violently shook her head. "Don't give me any of this bullshit. Sign the damned papers and I'll be on my way."

He slowly flipped the papers open and signed them, the pen flowing smoothly on the paper. Page after page, his signature filled the once empty slots.

"There, are you happy now?"

"Yes. Extremely. Now give them to me, I want to make sure they get posted."

He slid them over to her and frowned. "I'm sorry it's had to come to this."

"Me too Jordan, me too."

_XxXxXxXxX_

She quietly unlocked the Townhouse's door and hung her coat up. She hadn't even been gone half an hour. She'd said her goodbyes and had left the diner with the papers under her arms. She had posted them and made her way home.

_Home._

She smiled. This is where she was meant to be all along, with Grissom, her Boss, her friend, her lover.

She deposited her keys in the fruit bowl and kicked her shoes off rather unceremoniously. She was beat, and right now all she wanted to do was snuggle against Grissom's bulky manly body and sleep. She padded her way to his bedroom and watched him for a few moments. His body outlined and covered by the thin sheets. He breathed in and out deeply, his hard chest rising and falling steadily.

She quickly undressed herself and slipped under the sheets molding her body to his. The warmth of his body lulled her to sleep. Dreaming never felt so good.

_XxXxXxXxX_

Grissom stared at Sara's sleeping form. Her pert mouth, relaxed in sleep. Her eyes fluttering as REM took over. She was truly and utterly beautiful, and yet here she was in HIS bed, sleeping with HIM. It still felt like a dream, a long dream that would and could end at any moment.

_But you won't _ever_ let it end, will you Gil?_

He shook his head as his internal voice chided him on his negative thoughts. He was happy, and nothing or nobody could take that away from him. For years he had shied away from the feelings he held for Sara, he had hid the true Gil Grissom from her and then it had been too late. As he thought about the past, one thing kept popping back into his head. Whatever he had said, or done to her…she had always given him a second chance. She knew the outcome yet she always forgave him.

Sara didn't like to think of things in there negative form. She was a positive kind of gal, and Gil respected that. He respected everything about her.

She was strong, persistent, empathetic, beautiful, utterly irresistible and his. She now belonged to him, and he in return belonged to her and there wasn't anything stronger than that. He had lost her, found her, only to lose her again and now he had truly found Sara Sidle, the woman that had held his heart for so long he didn't know that it was possible for him to ever let go of her.

He touched her lips ever so lightly with his index finger. They were rosy and soft and oh so kissable. She was a work of art and she didn't even know it.

Her slight murmur of his name in her sleep brought a smile to his lips. He needed her, but…if she ever wanted to leave, he would let her go. He wouldn't trap her in a life she didn't want to participate in. She was her own person and he wasn't her keeper.

He bent down and let his tongue trace her lips. They tasted of coffee and mint.

Nuzzling her neck, he let his bearded cheek scrape her smooth one in a sensual manner. She had told him on several occasions that she loved the beard, and couldn't imagine him not having it; she had mentioned she missed his cleft chin. How she had wanted to kiss it the first day she had laid eyes on him.

It had made him laugh softly, her mouth swallowing his laughter as she had kissed him silent.

He looked down at her again, she was still asleep.

"I love you so much Sara."

He watched her face; it was still relaxed in sleep. He kissed her one last time and held her as sleep once again caught up with him.

**TBC**

* * *

_I apologise for the blahness of this chapter, I just wanted to sort this whole Jordan thing out, it was really getting on my nerves. Now I have more time to concentrate on other things for this story. Reviews, and suggestions are greatly welcomed._


End file.
